


Where we belong...

by bellemelody



Category: Johnny's Entertainment, KAT-TUN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Community: je_holiday, Doctor/Patient, M/M, Magic, Pirates, Romance, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-02
Updated: 2012-01-01
Packaged: 2017-10-28 17:08:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 39,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/310120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellemelody/pseuds/bellemelody
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Warnings</b>: extreme AU, fantasy, pirates, magic, wizards, slavery, violence, sparkles, medical terms (I’m not a doctor, so sorry for mistakes).<br/>The world I create in this story is fictional and everything I wrote here possible in this world.  I thought about 19 century or maybe even earlier time and remember, that this is fantasy world.</p>
<p>Over the course of only one night, he lost what mattered most in his life.  From the moment he set foot on the Island of Sighs, he had to let go of everything: his past, his dreams, his identity, his hopes, his will to live ... until he met Jin. In a world where magic, slavery, half-bloods and pirates don't only exist in books, a new destiny seems to await Kazuya...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Spiritdream](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Spiritdream).



> Thanks to Lu and Kari for helping me so much!!!!! Without your help and support it was impossible for me to stay sane writing this fic!!!! Thank you for supporting my idea and dealing with my panics!!!!!!
> 
> Thanks to Belle and Ale for beta :) also thanks to Niki and Tasha :)
> 
> Wonderful banner by Saya ♥
> 
>   
>  [ ](http://s910.photobucket.com/albums/ac308/perishka16/banner/?action=view&current=wherewebelong.jpg)   
> 

   
 _Hundreds of years ago, no one can tell exactly when, because the events of those distant times have been erased from the memory of the people and now there are only mentions in legends and ballads. And the ancient legends tell about another time and another world, the beautiful world, where magic existed and life was different and people weren’t alone on their land. Their neighbors were creatures endowed with extraordinary powers; they could read the thoughts of people and create real miracles only with their eyes and with a wave of their hand. In the legends this time is called The Golden Era, where people lived in harmony with magic and their love was enough to bind together people and creatures who knew the magic. These creatures looked the same as people; just a few details in their appearance distinguished them from others.  Their hair was long and silky, sometimes shining under the sunlight, and their ears looked a little bit different._

_Yet nothing lasts forever on Earth and one day, one of the strongest and most powerful wizards wanted to change the world and destroyed all that had made people happy and content. He had an incredible power to compel the minds of both the people and the creatures endowed with magic. That was the beginning of The Bloody Era._

_He used all his power against the people who were defenseless against his magic and made the other sorcerers follow him. He had many followers, possessed by lust for power and greed; they wanted to turn people into slaves, and they took control over their minds and deprived them of their will._

_Where men were fighting and dividing the people and the wizards, destroying their families and burning up their happy homes, women, however, craved for peace, and despised the bloodshed and irreparable destruction and death, which inevitably came with war._

_Powerful witches and women tried to resist the evil plan of the wily wizard and save their children, half-wizards, and half-people. They gave all their strength, their magic and their energy, creating a powerful shield, which protected their people from the wizarding world. Thus the people and the wizards were finally separated._

_The shield hid the people's land from wizard eyes and made it impossible for magicians to find the way to their land, but it cut both ways, the wizard couldn’t find the way to this land, but neither could other magical creatures, because only those who had the blood of the people in their veins could see it. Many families were destroyed, but like this, the people were protected from the Wizard's malicious intentions._

_In the country of a now peaceful land, its people lived a quiet life devoid of magic, which over the years they had started to forget. They did not recall even the existence of another world beyond the horizon. Beyond the most powerful shield lived the wizards. The years had erased the details about the war and about the people and the invisible shield from their memories and over time, it completely hid this place inhabited by human beings._

_People could not leave this land and go through the border, because during the Great War, in an effort to protect the people, the witches created a powerful spell, which restricted passage through the shield to those beings who  possessed magic while the non-magical  people would die. Only the wizards in whose veins  ran human blood  could see the shield and show the path to the Peaceful land to pureblooded wizards._

_After the powerful magician was defeated, a quiet time finally descended. Many of the half-bloods attempted to cross the border and there was a threat that the wizards could find this shield and history would repeat itself. At  that time, many brave half-blood wizards voluntarily left the Peaceful land to protect the rest of their relatives. They crossed the border on ships and settled on the nearby islands, staying close to the wizarding world. They called themselves the pirates and their purpose was to keep the peace and ensure that the lives of the people living in the Peaceful land was joyful. At last, people no longer believed in magic._

_And a new era began, and its name was The Peaceful Era._

* * *

 

Do you know the feeling of warmth that appears in your heart when you feel the same breeze caressing your face or the same smell that reminds you about something very far away and very dear to your heart? Reminding you about your home? You just need to close your eyes and your memories will flood into your mind, reminding you of the old forgotten places and faces, which you’ve once loved so much. 

You can see the house, not a very big one, but large enough for the numerous people who lived there. Your father, who had very rough hands and tired red eyes, from working all the time to feed his family. Your mother, who smelled like baked pie and her hands gently rued your cheek, her patient voice scolded you for the dirt on your face and clothes. You older sister loved singing and she had very beautiful long hair; you made a very clumsy flower wreath and she laughed calling you her little flower dwarf. Your older brother was so strong and brave and your eyes excitedly watched his every move while he helped your father at work, the only wish you have in your little loyal heart was to be the same one day: just like your brother. Your other brother loved playing jokes on you and he laughed when you got into trouble; you can almost hear you mother's voice; that doesn’t bode well for you, and remember how your face was flushed because this was so unfair and you hadn’t done anything wrong, but you obediently followed her and helped in the kitchen. You can see the little twins, your younger brother and sister; they were cute and you loved playing with them, sharing with them something sweet and showing them the frog that you found in a river, wandering there after school. 

And then you can see yourself, just as you were. A boy with messy dark hair that covered your eyes.  Your mom was too busy with housework to cut your bangs for you. Your bushy eyebrows and dark eyes that looked so curiously and inquisitive at everything around. You wanted to know about everything and the questions flowed from your mouth without a pause:  _why is the sun so bright and so far away, you wanted to touch it; why do birds disappear in winter and return only after weeks have passed, why does your father work so much and why does he always say that you must fight for your future?_  So many questions in your little head. 

You were not as strong as your brothers, but when they ran to the field where you father is working, you did too. You wanted to believe that one day you would be big and strong enough and your mother wouldn’t look with such worry at your bony hands. Your smile was wide and she smiled back at you. 

You keep running and you can see your house, one of many that looked the same: the wooden walls and the red roof, the garden where your mom worked growing vegetables and your sister had a little corner for her flowers. Green, the color that surrounded you in the wide fields and tall trees, with simple flowers and bright clothes. You entered your house; it was plain, but tidy and very cozy. You shared a room with all your brothers and you had a bed with your name on it; you made it yourself and would always proudly touch the dancing letters with your hand.  
   
  _“Kazu”._  
   
That was how they called you at home and that was how you liked it to be. 

Your name is Kamenashi Kazuya, but after so many years of wandering, traveling and mostly running away, you want to cherish the memories of your family calling you “Kazu”. No one will ever call you like this again. 

 

* * *

 

In the world where Kazu was born people don’t believe in magic and miracles, as they simply don’t exist. All the stories come from fairytales and people must not hope for magic to make their life better. Everything is in your hands and it depends only on human efforts and persistence to obtain something and achieve your dreams. People must make their lives with their own hands, that is what he often heard when he was a child. Being the son of a middle-class family with lots of children in their town meant that he was not sure what future was waiting for him. His parents only had enough money to educate their older children, but no one was sure about his life. So he was the owner of his fate, even in his earlier years. 

A lot of adults can’t decide what they want to do with their lives, what direction they find more attractive and interesting. For Kazu, it was different. He was only 13 when he once and for all decided what future was the best for him. 

It was a very painful and sad moment in his life, when he sat near his little sister's bed, holding her tiny hand and feeling hopeless and powerless. In the quiet room, only heavy breathing could be heard, escaping painfully from the small child's chest; she held his hand as if clutching to her life, feeling the strength leaving her fragile body. Her little face was covered in strange red macules and no one could say what was wrong with his little sister, why suddenly a little girl full of life was dying and there was not any way to save her life. In the town, no one could help her. The healer had just made a helpless gesture before telling them to pray for her little soul. 

Tears fell from his eyes. He saw how she whispered his name without any sounds, just her pale dry lips moving, and he remembered how happy she was when he found a little squirrel in a forest for her. 

They were afraid to come near her bed since the healer said that this dangerous unknown disease could be contagious, but Kazu wasn't afraid. He saw the white face of his mother, big eyes already dry: there were no tears left to come, and grey strands had appeared during this night amongst her black hair. Kazuya wanted to ease his little sister’s pain, to show her that she was not alone. A few drops of blood ran from her mouth and Kazu just wiped them and placed a cold hand on her burning forehead. 

On that day, when his little sister left the Earth to find a better place, where she would be happy, he made a promise. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, swallowed his tears and saw the grief of his family; he decided that he would never feel so powerless and hopeless again. Kazu believed that there was always a way to do something and if they didn’t know it yet, that didn’t mean that this way did not exist. 

Kazu studied very hard, forgot about everything else, and spent hours with books that he found in a little library and were written with very difficult words, and followed healers, trying to learn all he could. His parents wanted to support him, but at the same time, their livelihood became very difficult. They wanted him to find something more practical and forced Kazu to attend fencing and martial arts classes because in their land, strong and skilled fighters could always find work. 

Dreaming high can be good, but it was a luxury for most people in their little town, his father repeated, looking disapprovingly at the heavy books in his hands. “My prayers are with you and every dream can became true if you work hard,” whispered his mother, and placed bread with milk on his table and caressed his hair. 

Thanks to his everyday training, Kazu became well built and strong. He was working to save up money. His life was a battle with his own body, always on edge, always with dark circles under his eyes, but with a firm determination and iron willpower he woke up every day and made one step after another towards his dream. And one day he left the town, tried his luck in a big city and became a real doctor. 

Nothing in Kazu's life was easy. He never waited for a gift from the sky to fall into his hands, everything that he achieved was thanks to his persistence, purposefulness, intellect and the confidence that made him move forward and never look back. 

When he entered the University on a full scholarship, his father sent him a short note, saying that his family was proud of him and his mother included a large bag of rice, knowing how everything was expensive in a big city and how hard her son's life was going to be. 

They called him Kazuya now, not a boy with a naughty smile, but a student of a medical University, the best one and he was very promising with a very good perspective. In the last year in University, they called his hands golden and offered him a place in a hospital as a surgeon. 

After graduation from University and having started his clinical studies, Kazuya worked as a surgeon. With gloves on his hands and with a sharp scalpel in his right hand, he assisted his Professor with surgeries. Now, he knew very well the Latin name of the disease that took his sister's life away. The big city gave him advantages, things that people from a little town so far away from the center could not have, where they could only secretly still hope that magic from legends existed and herbal remedies could help. 

To be a doctor, like Kazuya had always dreamed, he must study very hard. He had to pass almost seven years alone, in a city far away from his family. He didn’t have a lot of friends, and he was married to his work, living in a dormitory that the University provided. His life seemed perfect for him. 

His best friend, who shared his dormitory room, was Hiroki Uchi. Kazuya met him on the first day of University and this friendship helped him and supported him so much through the hardest moments of his student's life. 

Uchi was a golden boy; his family was rich and they wanted him to be a doctor, but he was sometimes too carefree to study properly and Kazuya always helped him if he needed it. Uchi was always so cheerful and bright that Kazuya wanted to smile while listening to his stories about girls from the medical faculty and how every week Uchi fell in love with a different one. Uchi’s family had a big house in the town, but he had decided to live in the Dormitory. 

“Too much pressure”, he had said with his usual smile, but Kazuya had seen his father, a very influential politician whose wishes were hanging over the head of his son like a black shadow, demanding that he acted in a way befitting the status and position of their family. 

Kazuya loved his friend like his own brother and he felt that they had so many things in common: they both loved medicine and science, they wanted to save people and they had the same dream: to become surgeons. 

Maybe  by devoting his life to his work, Kazuya was too naïve in his relationships with other people and he didn't notice, that everything had changed between him and Uchi. Kazuya was appointed as a head of department and he had been given permission to lead the surgery. He was so happy, thinking that his dreams were so close and all the years of work, lost sleep and rest weren’t pointless, that he missed the dark heaviness of Uchi's eyes, which were always on him. 

Friendship is such a fragile thing because people's natures are so complicated and every soul has so many secrets in it, sometimes so dark that it can destroy a person from the inside. You can be a great friend and nice person, but if in your heart appears the green worm called jealousy, it will eat you up, corroding everything good and making you do something you can regret all your life. 

Kazuya was invited to a party with his best friend, Uchi. All his money went t books and medical requirements, so Uchi gave him a nice shirt to wear. He had said with a laugh that all Kazuya's clothes resembled a white doctor’s smock or were so out of fashion that he looked ridiculous. Kazuya wore the green shirt; the expensive soft material cooled his skin nicely. He threw a look in a little mirror near his bed: this shirt made him look different, younger or maybe, he just felt relaxed today and was ready to spend a good time with his friend. Uchi loved to party but every time he had tried to drag Kazuya with him, Kazuya had declined, as work took the biggest place in his life. 

He woke up in the morning and looked at the blue sky and he had a feeling that it was going to be a good day and that very soon, all his dreams would come true. Kazuya woke up with this feeling and when he locked the door of the dormitory with his key and followed his best friend’s steps, he had no idea what the future would bring and how fatalistic life could be. It was evening and the round pale moon shone so brightly in the sky; a red circle was wrapped around the moon, and if Kazuya believed in premonition, he would have definitely stayed home this day, but doctors tended to laugh at superstitions because they believed that everything could be explained by science. 

When Kazuya found himself at the long-awaited party, with a brief glance at the maroon velvet sofas, heavy chandeliers, at the subdued light and the people dressed elegantly, lazily walking through the rooms with glasses of champagne, he immediately felt uncomfortable. That wasn’t really how he had expected this party to be. He had thought it would be simpler and maybe he would find a familiar face. He tried to call Uchi but he was already laughing with some friends.

Kazuya took a glass of champagne nicely offered by a waiter in a tuxedo and felt awkward and out of place. A young man was playing at the big black piano; Kazuya had never seen such a beautiful instrument and the melody was so beautiful and caressed his ears, making his tense muscles relax. He watched the slender fingers of the musician run over the keys with a light touch; it seemed he almost stroked them to make the music. 

Kazuya raised his head, a girl was standing near the piano, looking with a smile and Kazuya had a feeling that maybe she felt the same as he did now, and was enjoying the beautiful melody from the skillful musician. He was deep in his thoughts, and then she raised her eyes and looked at him. She was beautiful, with a bright and garish beauty; when you saw her lovely face, you knew that it would be difficult to forget about it. Her dress was the same green color as his shirt, and there was a thin golden chain with an unusual green stone at her neck. Kazuya wasn’t sure himself why he couldn’t take his eyes away from her face. The melody finished and he could hear the applause praising the musician and people coming to him with compliments and congratulations, but the girl in the green dress had disappeared. Kazuya searched for her, looking around, but he only saw Uchi coming towards him with a smile on his flushed face. Kazuya could smell the alcohol, Uchi was drunk already. Uchi wasn’t the type who drank a lot. It was difficult with their profession, but he always talked a lot when in  such state. 

“How is the party?” he asked, and leisurely lean against a wall draped with a dark golden material. 

“I like the music,” Kazuya said with a smile, and sipped from his glass; he rarely drank and the expensive champagne made him feel warmer and bubbly. 

“Feels good, right? You are a lucky bastard.” Uchi started laughing and Kazuya looked at him in surprise.

“Where do you come from? I forgot the name of this little town of yours. Does it even exist on a map?” Kazuya saw how Uchi's words became messier. He had to be drunk enough already. 

“I’m not sure if it exists on a map,” Kazuya answered with a chuckle and decided to check it tomorrow, feeling curious. 

“You came from this little town and took my place here.” Kazuya's smile faded away as Uchi’s voice was serious and even with accusation. 

“What are you talking about?” Kazuya asked seriously. 

“You are so smart, such a good surgeon and what about me, I’m nothing.” Uchi drunkenly spat at the expensive wooden patterned parquetry floor. He pointed a finger at Kazuya, pushing against him. “You are nothing and your dirty town, with your dirty family and your dirty success. I hate you and your poor face.” 

Kazuya pushed his hand away, and looked at him, there was an expression he had never noticed before on his friend’s face, one filled with hate. 

“I didn’t take anyone's place.” His voice was firm. 

It hurts, the feeling of losing a person who was the only one close to you for so many years and hid such a feeling deep in his heart. With sadness, Kazuya thought that it must be painful for Uchi too, but now he only wanted to leave the room, this house where he felt suffocated because of the dim light, the luxurious interior and his friend's hatred. 

With fast steps, Kazuya left the room. 

 

* * *

 

Returning to his room with a heavy heart and feeling the weight of the whole world on his shoulders, Kazuya opened the door with a sigh and sat down at his plain wooden table, and switched on the lamp. He opened the book on the table, intending to immerse himself in difficult cardiothoracic surgery to forget about the bitterness of the evening. 

Kazuya was used to being alone but he had never felt lonely knowing that his family was healthy and thinking about him even if they lived far away, and thinking about his best friend, who now hated him.

Why? Was Kazuya lucky? 

He had never considered himself as a lucky person; every achievement he had made in his life had taken him hours of study, patience and greeted teeth. He saw his face in a little mirror, the bitter fold in the corner of his lips. He looked so pathetic. Kazuya returned to the thick book and its illustration of a human heart, trying to focus on the text. 

It was near 3 am when Kazuya heard a loud laugh and noises coming from the corridor. He could clearly make out Uchi’s drunken voice among the other male voices and girly laughs. They would get in trouble if someone heard the noise and found out about the girls in the dormitory, he thought. 

It was almost 4:30 am when someone started banging at Kazuya’s door, immediately waking him up. He bumped his head on the lamp, realizing he had fallen asleep while reading. He opened the door, rubbing his eyes sleepily and yawning. Outside stood a student from the last grade who was usually very polite and nice; however, now his face was almost white and eyes big with a bewildered look. 

“What’s wrong?” Kazuya voiced sound hoarse. 

“I need your help, please.” He spoke fast, tripping over his words. 

Kazuya didn’t understand what had happened. He was still in Uchi’s green shirt, but he made to follow the other. The student stopped him. 

“Take your instruments!” 

Kazuya stood still for a moment. Maybe someone was feeling unwell, but why did they need him in a dormitory full of Medicine students? Maybe it was a serious wound… There were many thoughts spinning in his head. He took the case with his instruments and left the room, following the student’s rushed steps. 

They ran to another floor; it was very silent and Kazuya wondered where the loud party was. The student opened the door to one of the rooms and Kazuya followed him inside. The first thing he saw in the crowded room was Uchi’s pale face. A familiar stench assaulted him, making it suddenly difficult to breathe. 

“Kazuya!” Uchi said his name hoarsely and moved in Kazuya’s direction, raising his hands, covered in… Blood. Uchi’s hands were red with blood, the metallic smell filling the room. 

Kazuya thought that maybe Uchi was wounded and tried to come closer to check on him, but Uchi pointed to the bed with a trembling finger. 

Kame took in the green silk first as he rushed to the bed. He felt his blood freezing in his veins as he took in the whole scene. It was that girl from the party with the green dress. The fabric was now covered with blood stains, and her beautiful face was as white as chalk. Her dress was ripped at her waist, revealing the wound. Her eyes were closed, but she was at least breathing. Kazuya looked at the wound closely, and realization gripped his mind with a cold shock. He looked at Uchi. That was not a normal wound; it was a cut opened with a scalpel. 

Uchi had sat down on a chair and was hugging himself, tears flowing down his face. He was mumbling in a monotone voice, rocking on the spot. 

“I’m a good doctor. She was ill and I just wanted to save her life. It was supposed to be just a simple surgery. I don’t know how this happened. I wanted to save her. I did everything right, but there was so much blood… I don’t know… She can’t die… This is just appendicitis. I can do it, I’m a doctor…”

Kazuya had heard enough and he had no time. He saw the prick of a needle in her arm; she was under anesthesia. With confident movements, Kazuya ordered the other students in the room to assist him and started to close up the wound. He threw a glance at the girl when he felt a slight motion; her eyes were starting to flutter open, and he didn’t know how much anesthesia Uchi had given her, if she was only waking up or if she could feel anything. He finished up quickly and covered the wound with some gauze before taking her hand in his, squeezing her fingers gently. 

The blood stained her ripped dress and now his green shirt too, and an awful feeling was making him feel sick. 

A loud bang on the door startled Kazuya. Everything followed in a surreal haze for him, like it was happening to someone else instead. This was just a mistake, a nightmare; Kazuya just had to wake up and everything would be ok again. Maybe he had just fallen asleep reading his book and this was just a dream. Wake up, Kazuya, wake up! He tried to say it out loud, but he couldn’t utter a word. He saw Uchi’s face with wide opened eyes and the green color in bloody stains and the moon with a bloody circle around it. 

It was 5 am when the heavy handcuffs were closed on his wrists, and all his dreams and future were crushed and shattered into a million pieces. He was arrested. 

 

* * *

 

Peaceful Land had been named peaceful a few hundred years ago by people and witches who wanted to believe that people would find happiness and peace there. And after many years, the land was still protected by a government, bureaucracy, police and honest politicians who lived for the sake of their land’s prosperity. 

No one was sure who informed the police about the crime being committed by students, but they rushed immediately to the address they had been given. The honest politicians in such a situation cared about their good name and the future of their dear kids. After what happened on that fatal night, the people who were tipsy declined every connection with the incident; they weren’t sure what had happened and they weren’t thoroughly interrogated. The son of the honest politician, Uchi Hiroki, was innocent, and the judge didn’t doubt to declare so to win an approving smile from the politician; this young doctor had a bright future and that shouldn’t be taken away from him. 

Kazuya appeared in court. He was accused with a criminal negligence and premeditated murder as well as intoxication as aggravating circumstances. The verdict was guilty. 

Kamenashi Kazuya  wouldn’t be allowed to work as a doctor ever again and he was sentenced to imprisonment for life in a special prison located on an island. Death penalty was forbidden in PeacefulLand, though it was said that maybe a doctor who could ignore all vows deserved the capital punishment. 

Kazuya listened to the judge’s words and clenched his fists, his fingernails leaving deep marks on his hands. He didn’t feel the pain; he still remembered how pale the girl in the green dress looked as she squeezed his hand in return with her weak fingers. He was sure she was alive, she had to be. All the witnesses - the student who had called him in the middle of the night and Uchi, who was trembling in horror pleading for Kazuya’s help - pointed their fingers at him. They said it was Kazuya who had decided to make a surgery while drunk and telling that he was the best doctor in that filthy hospital. 

It was useless to try to prove that Kazuya hadn’t done anything, that it had been Uchi who had started it and he had just tried to save her life and if she had died, maybe Kame deserved this punishment. .

The last day, when the sentenced was to be announced, Kazuya noticed a familiar face between the journalist and the curious idlers. A face that would burn itself in his heart, making it bleed. His mother, eyes red and full of tears, but at the same time, Kazuya saw as he desperately looked at her, full of faith; she believed that her son could never do something as horrible and cruel as this. He had big dreams, he was very kind and caring; her Kazu was different, and what these people were saying was just a lie. It was the first time during the whole trial that Kazuya had felt the weight of handcuffs and tried to suppress the urge to cry, hopelessly, desolately, desperately, like a baby. 

The Peaceful Land still cared about people’s happiness and peace but people who lived there were ordinary human beings with their shortcomings and virtues, highs and lows. They wanted to think about their own good happy lives and if sometimes someone had to suffer and lost their life and all their dreams were crushed, well, it was just an unavoidable sacrifice. The honest politician would shake hands with the honored judge during some family dinner, discuss new equipment for fishing, and Kamenashi Kazuya would be on a boat to leave Peaceful Land, his destination the Island of Sighs, the last home of all criminals. 

Life could be unfair, but Kazuya knew about it from long ago and he just had had another confirmation that destroyed his life and made Kamenashi Kazuya disappear from the face of the Earth. 

 

***

 

_They didn’t have a lot of wars in their land, but sometimes, the Peaceful Land wasn’t that peaceful because of criminals. When people live peacefully for a long time, they forget about the values of peace and tranquility and let greed and low desires win over moral ones._

_In this land, people knew the value of strong people knowing how to fight and protect their homes from robbers and other criminals. That was why they tried to teach their boys how to fight, because one  could easily find a work, helping to protect the land from these dirty people without moral and honor._

_The criminals had to be isolated to let people live peacefully without fear. The Island of the Sighs - the last prison of the murderers, thieves, swindlers and other criminals, and people with no future and no hope. Walking on the ground of this island, they sighed and in the same land, they emitted their last sigh._

_This Island was the place where people became slaves, because one who despised law and society, human life and morals, had no right or need to be free. This person had to live as a slave, doing heavy physical labor every day and regretting his crimes._

_People live waiting for peace and happiness but behind the curtain always remained people who suffered for the others’ peaceful  lives, the wheels of the machine called the State moved constantly and sometimes, not only criminals but also unlucky people with broken destinies who  found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong moment arrived  on the island, forced to end their days in slavery. Should we call it unfairness or just the natural balance of life?_

 

***

 

Inside the ship, you could feel the smell of dampness, dirty human bodies, rotten wood and despair. People were seated on the cold floor leant against the walls, felt the motion of the ship and dressed in the grey shapeless clothes; each of them held a blue paper bag in their hands. Kazuya with surprise noted to himself how this blue paper bag, the color of the sky, was looking out of place in the hands of people who were practically saying farewell to their life. When he left the jail, where he had been waiting for his time to leave, they gave him just this little paper bag with his name written on it. 

They all sat in silence, not even looking at each other as they were all lost in their dark thoughts. Only the splashes caused by the waves hitting the sides of the ship were heard, and over it, the sound of the commands given by the Captain of the ship. 

Kazuya slowly opened the bag, looking at what he found inside. A bitter smile appeared on his tired lips: it was only Uchi’s green shirt with the blood stains, rumpled and rolled up carelessly. He wanted to put the shirt in the bag again, as he didn’t need it, but something fell from the shirt on his hand. With surprise, he looked at the same green stone that he had seen at the neck of the girl he had tried to save. He had no idea how it had gotten into his clothes, maybe during the surgery it had gotten stuck on the fabric of this shirt, falling from her neck. He touched the smooth stone; it didn’t look like something expensive. But the golden chain had disappeared and the stone was on the plain black ribbon now. 

The person who had packed Kazuya’s paper bag had decided that the chain was more valuable and had left only the stone, maybe thinking that it was something important to the owner and that at the isolated Island, Kazuya wouldn’t need something luxurious like a golden chain, but could keep the useless stone as a memory. People’s logic. 

Kazuya turned the stone in his hand, thinking about what to do with it. This stone didn’t belong to him, but maybe this was just the game of the destiny; he wasn’t sure and just wore the ribbon around his neck. As the stone touched his skin, a very strange feeling appeared: on the spot where the stone touched his chest, his skin warmed up. 

Kazuya was deep in his thoughts when he heard a hiss near him. It was a man with very short hair, almost bald; his face was distorted in a grimace of pain and he was touching his right leg. Kazuya saw what the problem was: his leg was wounded, maybe when they were boarding the ship someone had pushed him and he had cut his leg with something sharp. The wound wasn’t very big, but it was deep. They all had a flask with water, so Kazuya poured a bit on the green shirt and moved to the man’s leg. The man looked startled at him, eyes wide like a wild animal’s, and trying to move from Kazuya’s hands. The latter didn’t pay any attention to the man’s protest and calmly cleaned the wound. He ripped a piece of the soiled shit to bandage it. When he was done, he looked at other man eyes and explained: 

“It could get infected if you leave it exposed.” 

He looked at Kazuya. He was maybe the same age as him and had very delicate features, full lips and something in his a face that gave out a certain feeling of softness. Appearances could be deceptive, thought Kazuya while looking at his lean and strong body; this man was only comprised of muscles. He didn’t say a word and Kazuya sat back at his place, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes. He had the feeling that years had passed since that fateful day at the dormitory, but in fact, only two weeks had gone by; Justice could be fast when needed by certain people. He still wasn’t sure if what was happening was all real or just a nightmare; he had been in this state all the time since the trial; he didn’t want to think about anything, he was too tired of thinking. His eyes closed and Kazuya didn’t even notice when sleep took over him. 

He woke up few hours later to someone’s yells, commanding the prisoners to leave the ship. All the condemned rose to their feet and prepared to follow the man in the guards uniform. 

Kazuya took his first step onto the Island of Sighs. Maybe this was just the irony of life: the weather was very good, and the sun shone brightly. Kazuya however saw everything differently, maybe darker and gloomier. His steps were a little bit clumsy, since he had slept on the floor and his body was still stiff. 

They were led to a table with a man seating behind a mountain of papers, writing something, and made to stand in a queue, waiting for their turn.

“Documents!” Commanded the man in a harsh voice without even raising his head, and took Kazuya’s papers. 

“Your name?” the next question came in the same harsh tone. 

“Kamenashi Kazuya.” His voice was calm, and a little tired. The man started writing, but stopped abruptly. 

“Kame…? What?” he asked again, with a confused face that suggested he had been observing an insect that had suddenly started speaking to him. 

“Kamenashi Kazuya,” Kazuya repeated patiently, feeling the sun burning his skin. He saw how the man started chewing his fat lips, dark from tobacco, lazily turning the pen in his hand. He finally looked at Kazuya with a smirk. 

“Kame will be enough for you.” 

Kazuya felt a cold sweat breaking over his skin as he clenched his fists with rage. They took away everything from him: career, family, reputation, dreams, life and took away his freedom and his name, because this fat idiot didn’t know how to write it properly. 

He felt the anger making his blood boil and he felt the urge to punch the worker with all his might to erase that ugly grin from his fat face. The grin became even wider  when he noticed Kazuya’s rage and his clenched fists. He stamped the papers and returned one to Kazuya, filled only with the insulting name. 

“You are just a slave now and Kame will be enough for you. Next!” 

He said the last command louder, but Kazuya couldn’t move from his place; he had never felt so humiliated. He had never hated anything as much as the feeling of powerlessness taking over him, when he knew that no matter what he would say or do, no one would bother to hear him out, much less believed what he had to say. 

Someone pushed him, forcing him to leave his spot. Kame was looking at his feet, trying to take his rage under control and with surprise, he noticed the green fabric wrapped around the leg of the person who pushed him. Kazuya raised his head and saw the men from the ship who was now handing in his documents and sending warning looks at him. 

Kazuya moved aside. The area was surrounded by  guards so he sat down at some stones stairs, covering his face with hands. Five minutes later, he felt someone sitting next to him with a hiss, and a wounded leg was stretched out into his field of vision. 

“I heard about your trial.” The other man’s voice was calm and Kazuya noticed the same deceptive softness of his features in it. 

Kazuya chuckled bitterly. Who hadn’t heard about his trial? The press had had such a field day with the young, evil doctor who at night killed a young girl in his room with sharp scalpel. 

“They made such a circus out of it.” The softness disappeared from this voice and now his eyes looked at Kazuya with another expression; it was acceptance. “Call me Ueda.” He added noticing how Kazuya was so surprised he couldn’t even utter a word. “How should I call you?” 

It wasn’t an easy question because now, Kazuya had made a decision. He was a criminal now, he couldn’t be a doctor ever again, and all his dreams were dead and had been buried with his past life, his hopes and his desires. He was going to spend all his life at this damned Island and it only depended  on him how it was going to be. 

Human beings have evolved so that they can adapt to any conditions. The most important instinct is that of self-preservation, and people  don't have intellect for nothing. They can weigh the pros and cons and decide the most favorable path for them. The force that leaded evolution during millennia was the desire to survive no matter what, swallowing pride and reevaluating of values. 

“Kame.” He said calmly. 

Ueda just nodded. 

Maybe the world is unfair and during life, you will face betrayal and some stabs  in the back. You can lose everything one day, but when the sun raises again, you are still alive, walking under its warmth, and you want to believe in people and maybe someone will bump shoulders with you, pushing you aside to calm down, even if this someone doesn’t know you at all. You still want to believe in friendship, even if you have lived the worst experience and  felt burnt. People cannot live alone; they always need someone to believe in them, to be a friend in whom they can find support. 

And so Kame prepared with Ueda to face their new home, with the sun shining brightly on the green silk fabric around Ueda’s legs with every step he took. 

 

***

 

They were  sitting on a ruin of a wooden cart pulled by an old horse. After taking their papers, the slaves were assigned to different jobs and sent to different places. Kame and Ueda shared the same destination. The old cart shook with every bump of the rough road, but at least, the gentle breeze coming from the sea cooled the skin heated by the sun, giving a small comfort. 

Kame looked at the landscape as it passed. The Island was unexpectedly green and picturesque. It seemed like time had stopped there, and people lived in their own secluded reality. Different people in light clothes passed by; they all moved with leisure steps that suggested they had no hurry to reach their destinations. There were green fields with people working there, animals at another part of the field eating the grass with the same calm gestures. It wasn’t really how Kame had imagined this place, not like this, making his heart ache painfully with memories from his childhood. 

Now, Kame was a slave and he belonged to his owner. Kame had to work for him and for this, the owner would give him a place to sleep and food to eat. He saw faraway a hill with a big white house at its top. The big gates swung open with a heavy sound, but as the cart wasn’t allowed to pass, Kame and Ueda jumped down to follow a guard that leaded them inside. 

Kame looked around curiously; this  wasn’t the main gate, maybe  the special entrance for slaves. Everyone was minding their business, dressed in neat white clothes. Kame wondered if all  these people were slaves or no. The guard told them to follow him with a firm voice and they  obeyed as he took them to a one-storey house a bit far away from the door they had just closed. 

Kame entered the house with Ueda and the guard left hastily. Inside, there was just one long room with plain beds at the sides and nothing else. The house was empty. 

The sun was setting over the horizon when the house was filled with people, dressed in the same white robes like those they had seen before; Kame was surprised to note how they moved slowly, sinking into their beds with  heavy sighs. Kame was  sitting in  the last bed of a row since it looked empty and free. Ueda had found another at the other side. 

Kame’s neighbor took off his shirt, exposing his chest covered with many tattoos. This guy had a scary aura; he looked like a bandit with heavy eyes that examined Kame’s face. 

“Are you new?” His voice sounded hoarse and tired. Kame nodded. 

The bronzed face, tanned after long hours spent working under the sun, suddenly showed a bright grin full of white teeth. 

“Welcome to Hell.” 

His voice sounded amused and for the first time, Kame’s heart sank, and an ugly feeling appeared at the pit of his stomach. He had no idea what the future would bring him. 

For the next few hours, Kame sat silently and just watched around, observing the people with whom he was going to live from now on. The man with the tattoos was lying on his bed and had buried his face in his pillow. His strong, muscled hands hung lifelessly at the sides of the bed. 

Next to Ueda, there was another man, Kame could see his back and he thought that it was an old man, something in his pose reflecting his exhaustion, like he was carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders. But when he turned his head, Kame realized with surprise that they had to be around the same age. Suddenly, the man took his hand to his mouth and started making strange noises that made the silent crow in the room look at him with fear. The man finally noted something was wrong and stopped abruptly, looking at Ueda with wide eyes as he rubbed his nose nervously. 

Ueda was a real mystery for Kame. He wondered why he was there. He had broken the law, but what had he done? Ueda had such aristocratic and very gentle features but at the same time, it was obvious that he was dangerous. 

Kame wasn't a good face reader, he couldn’t understand other people well and his current situation was just a confirmation of this inability. But he felt that maybe things were not so bad after all, and he could find a peaceful  life there. 

”You imagined everything differently, right?" The man with tattoos sat up on his bed and looked straight at Kame. Kame stayed silent; he had really imagined it differently. 

”You were waiting to see dirty cages with bunches of people inside?" To be honest that was exactly how Kame had imagined it in his head. The man continued in a lower voice after a chuckle. 

“It was like that. People lived in dirty stinky cages, like animals, and they died so often that there weren’t any healthy slaves left to work." 

His eyes were dark, almost black, and the bitter line of his lips told Kame that it was true, and it was so horrible that he couldn’t even imagine it. 

”Right, Maru?" The man’s voice sounded lighter now and Ueda’s neighbor just nodded. 

"This greedy bastard Akanishi is a devil, but he cares about his money and reputation. Even the Government started wondering why his slaves were falling dead like flies in winter, and he constructed these palaces for us." The last words, he said them mockingly, spitting  on the floor. 

"Akanishi?" asked Kame. The man eyed him amused; he looked like he was enjoying the moment, but then again, maybe that was his usual expression. 

“That’s the name of your owner. Remember it and if you happen to be so unlucky to meet him, don't look straight at his eyes or you will pay for it." He made a pause, looking significantly at Kame and then added with a smirk. 

“But judging from your luck  in choosing your bed, you will definitely meet him.” 

So he belonged to Akanishi now. Thinking about himself as an object that belonged to someone was strange, and now he was curious to find out what kind of person Akanishi was. He couldn’t understand the remark about the bed he had chosen at all though. 

 

***

 

They called him Kame now and he tried to call himself that in his own mind too  so he could get used to it. No one started laughing when they heard the guard say his name and give him the set of clothes that all the slaves wore. They all  had nicknames. People who found themselves at The Island of Sighs had a reason to be there, and they knew better than to ask questions and try to interfere in the business of other slaves. 

The next day, Kame was woken up by the announcement that it was time to go to work. The tattooed man, who had introduced himself as Koki, was right. This was hell in the earth. First, on the long way to their destination, they passed the fields and beautiful green landscape and then headed into the mountains, as they were being sent to work in a mine for the whole day till the sun  would hide under the horizon, and after that, the long way back and the obligatory shower. 

Kame wasn’t the type who would ask questions even if he was very curious but Koki, who had a very bandit like appearance was very talkative,  thought it was his duty to help Kame learn everything about this “damned place, where our bones will rot”. 

In truth, slaves were living in cages until just one year ago, but a dangerous and very contagious disease killed a large number of slaves and this “devil in a human body, bloody bastard Akanishi” (as Koki referred to him and spat to emphasis the level of his despite) decided to build wooden houses and make obligatory showers to wash away all traces of the disease. 

Kame listened carefully and understood very well the level of medical development on this island, he doubted they had a hospital. He saw these houses; they were placed one after another with almost twenty slaves in every house. Akanishi was a rich man, with a lot of slaves and as Koki said, he was the ruler of this island. 

After two weeks of living there, during one rainy night, Kame  understood why his bed was unlucky. Honestly, he chose this bed because the only little window at the ceiling was above it and Kame liked falling asleep under a little piece of the sky. That night, he woke up because of heavy drops falling right on his face, the window was leaky and by morning his pillow was wet. Also, the houses were made from a very thin material and during the night, it was so cold due to the wind coming in from the sea. 

Every day after returning from work, Kame had only one desire; he wanted to bury his face in his pillow, and just fall asleep. All of his body was sore; every muscle was aching, because of the very hard and long physical work. 

After one month of being  in this Island, Kame felt more comfortable and thanks to the over talkative Koki, he knew almost everyone in this house. 

Even if Koki looked scary and had an intimidating aura, Kame understood that he was a nice man. He repaired the window for Kame, and filled the holes with wooden sticks so Kame  could sleep peacefully. He never asked about Kame's past, but he told a lot of stories about himself and others. 

Proudly pointing to his chest, he exclaimed that he was a Pirate, when Kame looked doubtful, and asked what Koki meant by that, because he only heard about pirates in adventure books. Koki removed his shirt and showed him the big Tattoo and his shoulder with the word “Joker”. 

“I’m a Joker. That's what pirates call me.” He threw a proud look at Kame and waited for his reaction. Kame just nodded, as this nickname suited Koki a lot, because of his facial expression: something between an amusing and a mocking smile. 

Koki told Kame about Maru, that sometimes people called him “General”. Maru came from the same land as Kame; he was a very smart person and highly educated. Maru worked as an economist in a very large corporation, but someone made him a scapegoat for an accounting error and left him without work and money. Maru decided to use his brains differently and made a pyramid scheme to take revenge on this company, and he gained a lot of money, but he was caught in the end. 

There was also the bunch of young boys, who were very noisy all the time, but in the end Kame noticed that the noise was really produced by just 2 of them. Koki said they were sailors, who dreamed of being pirates and stealing the ship of some serious man. 

In their house the background of everyone was mixed, Koki pointed at a short man in his forties with an ugly face and warned Kame not to go near him. He was a dangerous murderer who wanted to rule in this house.

No matter your social circle, hierarchy exists everywhere, especially where someone wants to prove something to others. Some people decide to be silent, hoping that others will forget about their existence. Kame decided to live peacefully, working, sleeping and not messing with people who played dirty games in such a place that was a hell on earth. 

One day,  a new slave appeared at the door of their house. What Kame noticed straight away was how broken and crushed he looked. He was tall with brown straight hair that covered his face. He looked hesitantly around the room and sat on the bed that turned out to belong to Yazaki, the murderer with a Napoleon complex. 

Yazaki immediately attacked him, trying to show who the ruler was here. Kame looked at this disgusting scene and his heart clenched. This new man's absolutely lost expression, like he didn't understand what this was all about, reminded Kame about his own trial, and Kame  couldn’t tolerate unfairness and without thinking, he came closer. 

“Let him go.” Kame's voice was calm. He tried to control the emotions boiling inside him. 

Yazaki was absolutely shocked that someone dared to interfere. His lips curved in some kind of smirk, making him look even more like a bulldog and he hissed, “Make me.” 

Kame punched him, hard, but Yazaki  didn’t fall and prepared to punch him back. The new slave grabbed Yazaki by the collar and raised him up, his short legs trembled in the air. Kame couldn't believe his eyes, looking at the determined expression on the slave's face. Yazaki tried to free himself, but it was impossible, the grip was iron like. 

Someone called out that a guard would be here soon and Kame whispered to the new slave.” Put him down, we must go!” 

He put Yazaki down and left with Kame. Koki was shocked by Kame's behavior and with wide eyes, hit his shoulder. 

“You are crazy.” It sounded like a compliment. 

“I’m Taguchi!” pronounced the new slave and Kame watched in surprise  as he smiled with a big sun like smile, that  crept him out little bit, because just seconds ago, this man looked like the whole word was crushed. 

“I will be happy to be your friend,” he announced with the same smile, placing a hand on Koki's shoulder. The latter froze, hesitantly remembering how Taguchi raised Yazaki up a minute ago, but still added irritably, “Don’t want to be your friend.” 

“I will make you smile every day!” Taguchi's words sounded like a lifetime promise and Kame felt how he started to smile, maybe for the first time after that fateful night. 

Sometimes, people who have strength in their arms don’t use it for defending themselves, because it’s not important for them, but they will give every drop of this strength to protect the one who shows them some kindness. 

 

***

 

Kame meets "bloody" Akanishi, his owner, during the second month of living at the Island of Sighs. He was riding a black horse and checking his land. 

What Kame noticed immediately was the way he moved. It was obvious that this man was used to having power in his hands. He was sitting straight, head raised proudly with a white fedora hat, protected from the burning sun. He was well built and had a youthful appearance for his age, Kame thought that maybe he was around fifty. 

Kame  couldn’t see his eyes very well, the fedora casting shadows over his eyes, but he saw perfectly his lips and the semi smile that was playing on them. Something in this smile made shivers run down his spine and a strange cold feeling appeared when he witnessed his sardonic smirk 

Kame saw how he turned his head, like something caught his attention. It was a boy who lived in the same house as Kame, one of the sailors who made a lot of noise. The corner of his shirt was caught by the heavy door of the shower house and he was cursing loudly trying to free himself. His back faced Akanishi, so he couldn't see what was coming. 

Akanishi help a black whip in his hand and lashed the boy with all his might. Kame heard a scream full of pain. 

“Akanishi Miato got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Koki commented in disgust. 

“Why he is doing this?" Kame asked, still hearing the screams. The cold smile still played on Akanishi's lips, witnessing the pain of the boy. 

“Because this is his slave and he just wants to do it." 

The fedora fell from Akanishi's head, showing his dark hair with grey strands. 

When you are a slave, your life belongs to your owner, that means that he can take it away any time and this is his legal right. You break the Law, you are a criminal. In the Island of Sighs you were sold to your new owner and if your owner is a devil like Akanishi Miato, that’ means you can’t be sure if you will be alive tomorrow.   
   
 


	2. Chapter 2

  
_In the past, it wasn't so rare for people and magical creatures to fall in love with each other. To continue walking a long life's path, holding the hand of the one you love, no matter whether you are a human or a wizard. Human life is shorter than the life of a magical creature, but no matter what, if they loved each other, they want to spend that time together, whatever time is allotted to them._

_Half-bloods have magic and human blood in their veins and it has certain consequences. When a child like this was born, parents wait patiently for a day, after which they will know if the baby a magic power or not. Usually they have, and half-bloods with powers need special treatment and education, because if their powers will stay undeveloped, it could slowly kill them. So parents are always very careful and with love, look after their baby, trying to help in making  their first step as magical as possible, and searching out the best teachers for them._

 _What kind of power can half-bloods have? It could be anything. Reading minds, moving things, feeling the forces of nature, premonitions and more. They can be pretty strong and if parents will lead their child and make him understand the difference between good and evil, he will grow as a good person and use his powers to help humans not harm them._

 _After the creation of the shield and separation, many half-bloods died, because they can’t handle their powers. Other half-bloods whose power wasn’t so strong were able to live happily and after few generations, they forget that magic blood ever existed in their family. If some people have a very unusual talent and ability, you can be sure they have magic in their veins._

 

* * *

 

It was raining, heavy drops beating on the small window over Kame head, and the whole night, he could not sleep. All he could hear was the quiet piteous moans. His name was Senga, and he had just been unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kame understood well that feeling. 

Even before the bell rang, calling the slaves to work, Kame was already dressed. He remembered, there was a small meadow on the way to the mountains and he was confident that he could find there everything that he would need. 

During his work, Kame tried to find a quiet moment and with Koki's help and Maru's strange sound production abilities, the guard was distracted for a few minutes and it was enough for Kame. 

When he lived in his little town, he spent a lot of hours looking at how healers made different things with herbs and the healer was very pleased by the young boy's attention. She taught him the behavior of different herbs and how they  could help from a medical point of view. Now, he felt excited, waiting for a moment when they would return to the house. He would be able to help. 

After everything was prepared and everybody else was sleeping, Kame went to Senga's bed. The boy was lying on his stomach, he wasn't able to work, and it was painful even for him to move. Kame saw fresh wounds from the lash and he sadly understood that they would become scars afterwards, but the boy would live, and that  was more important. 

“Drink it.” 

Kame whispered to Senga trying not to wake up the others. Senga raised his head from the pillow, eyes red and tired from the pain, but he did as Kame said. This night and the next few nights Kame gave him the same broth to ease the pain and cleaned his wounds by applying the self-made ointment. Kame already forgot how to make some of them, but during the days  tried to remember and in the end, maybe it wasn’t perfect but he was sure it would still help. 

Kame returned to his bed as quietly as he could. When he was near his bed, he met Ueda's eyes in the darkness. It was almost impossible to read Ueda's expression. Kame stayed still, waiting for the other to say something, feeling a little bit embarrassed. 

“Good night.” 

Ueda said and turned over, covering himself with his blanket. Kame only then noticed that he was holding his breath. 

The next morning, their house seemed more lively. Kame threw a look at Senga and noticed that he was surrounded by his sailor friends and they threw meaningful glances at him while they talked in hush voices. Kame was glad they weren’t pointing fingers at him; that would have made him a little bit uncomfortable. 

One of them approached him. He came closer with a serious expression on his face. He must be the leader among them.

“I’m Mitsu and I want to say thank you.” 

He held out his hand clenched into a fist and looked straight into Kame’s eyes. Kame looked puzzled but when he hit it lightly with his own fist and the latter smiled he understood with relief, that he did everything right. 

He was accepted by the young sailors and that would have consequences. Thanks to this and the incident with Yazaki, Kame's reputation grew among the other slaves. 

If someone was wounded or felt unwell, they asked Kame for help. The people living here had no clue about basic antiseptics and with his new loud, agile and dexterous friends, whose actions were covered by Maru's special abilities, Kame was able to create a little medical corner with different herbs, broths and ointments. 

He helped to clean the wounds, pull out the sharp pieces of metal and stone from human flesh, sew up the deep cuts made at work and straighten out the bones. Kame had no instruments, and he used the only means at hands, sometimes wistfully recalling his doctor's bag; he had been saving up for so long to buy it and  had been in the seventh heaven of happiness when he had bought it. That was the end of his old life, which now seemed just a dream. 

Sometimes, people came to him with extraordinary problems, like the sailor with very sad eyes. Kame waited twenty minutes for him to talk but he just sighed and placed his chin in his hands. 

“Tama-chan feels so sad,” he said with another heavy sigh. Kame guessed that by Tama-chan he was referring to himself and hoping Kame would have any ability to help with this disease. 

“Kame-chan will help me?” 

Kame froze on the spot, praying that no one heard it. But if Kame was a lucky guy, he wouldn't have found himself as a slave on a forsaken island. 

“Kame-chan will help?” 

Even when Kame was a kid, no one called him in such a cute manner and he could say that he didn’t really like it, but this name was glued to his face and now, while walking through the house, he  could hear “Kame-chan” often. 

He sent Tama-chan to talk with Taguchi, Kame was sure that Taguchi 's sense of humor  would have a healing effect on the boy's melancholic state. 

A wise doctor would think of the reasons why a person might need treatment, and would find the best treatment for the person. Sometimes, you need the patient to believe that they can be cured, and sometimes, that faith is the first step to becoming healthy. 

Kame was amazed by Taguchi's ability to always have a sincere smile on his face. Some people might find it annoying, or like Koki, pretend that he found it annoying. What surprised Kame the most was that Taguchi found a friend in Ueda. The latter was very taciturn and Taguchi was the opposite and talked too much and loudly. Yet, even as it seemed strange, they spent a lot of time together, maybe complementing each other. 

His life on the island became easier to endure and Kame tried not to think about his life before the Island. He tried not to torture himself thinking about what could have been. He could be helpful here and this made him wake up every day with a lighter feeling in his chest. He had friends here now. They all were broken and none had a simple and happy life, but they were smiling sometimes and even had strength to find small amounts of enjoyment in their lives. Kame could feel it too, the hope, maybe pointless and even stupid. But people can’t live without hope, and even a fragile and small hope can warm your heart, when you have nothing else to live for, when you’re almost sure, that it will always be like this. 

We all need a purpose in life, one that will make us move forward and Kame was the type of person who always gave all of himself striving towards his goal, but without a goal and purpose he felt lost. Until one day, when someone unexpected asked for help. 

* * *  
 

It was early in the morning, when your movements were still slow and clumsy and you just wanted to bury your face in your pillow. 

The sun was shining from the little window above your head and you sighed, knowing that it was almost time. People around you have almost the same expression on their faces and their movements looked like you  were watching them move in slow motion. Your eyes stopped at Taguchi, who was already dressed and seated with a smile, telling anyone near him about his dreams. Koki threw an irritated stare at him, trying to scare him with his facial expressions. 

The routine was almost the same from day to day, soon they would leave for work, and  their movements must be fast, their faces serious. They would endure the hard work, sweating from the burning sun and the heavy instruments in their hands,  which made their muscles hard like stone.

When they were ready to leave, Kame noticed how the room grew quiet and all eyes were on him. He wondered why and then Ueda nodded his head towards the doorframe. 

It was a woman, her clothes were different, neat and bright, and better in quality, she looked like a servant from Akanishi's big house. Kame saw them sometimes, they came for his ointment. Kame walked closer to her and greeted the woman. She had a nice face, round cheeks and dark eyes with a few wrinkles around them, giving her face a softer expression. 

“You are Kame?” she asked and Kame noticed how she twisted her white handkerchief in her smooth, white and plump hands. He just nodded.

“I heard that you can heal and I need your help, this is very important.” He saw despair in her eyes and nodded again. 

“Take this.” She gave him her handkerchief. “This night, the guard from our house will come and will show you the road.” 

With these words and a last brief glance, she left, leaving Kame confused and dumbfounded. 

“What did she want?” Ueda stood beside him, watching the woman leave with heavy eyes. 

“Tonight I will go to the house,” Kame answered, still unsure what he would need to do there. 

“To the devil Akanishi’s house? You must be careful.” Koki's voice was serious and Kame felt a little bit nervous. 

He  thought about this woman all the way to  work, surely it must be something very serious, some type of dreadful disease if she decided to ask for help from a slave. 

There is a very wise proverb that says that man proposes, but God disposes. We never know what is waiting for us around the next corner, if it will change our life and bring something new, if it will  make us happy or make us suffer. Maybe if we knew, we could decide to stay at one place instead of risking checking this corner, but  being unable to know the future. 

 

***

 

Kame entered the house and the silence fell over the dark hall. The house that looked so bright outside was absolutely gloomy inside; Kame had imagined it differently, but he found himself looking at the dark wooden luxurious furniture and heavy curtains, as if the habitants were hiding in the darkness of their home from the entire world.

He noticed the woman from that morning looking at him from another floor and giving signs to climb the wide staircase. He followed her little steps across the long halls and through different doors; he had a feeling that they were going through a labyrinth. At the end, they stopped near the big portrait of a breathtakingly beautiful woman. His guide lightly touched the wall near it and Kame realized with shock that the portrait was a hidden door. Why would someone need a hidden door in his house?

Kame remembered the cold smirk on Akanishi’s lips and felt nervous. He wanted to run away from here, but he took a step forward and faced another long hall. The woman started moving carefully as if she was trying not to make a noise, and pushed a door open; Kame hoped it was the last one. 

They arrived at their destination. In the middle of the room was a luxurious bed and Kame noticed there  were a lot of wide windows and that in the daylight, it must be very lovely. A sound from the bed caught his attention and he moved towards it, feeling the woman’s eyes on him. 

A man was lying on the bed, covered by heavy blankets, with his eyes closed and a pained expression that made him press his lips tightly to suppress weak moans. Kame placed a hand on his sweaty forehead; he was burning. But first, he had to understand the reason of the fever; looking at suffering man in the bed, he thought about his medical suitcase, that he now needed badly. 

“Can you make the pain go away? He’s suffering so much!” 

Her voice was trembling, her eyes full of tears as if it was hard for her to watch the suffering of the young man. 

“I will do everything in my power.” He said honestly, and asked her to bring all that he would need. He needed some herbs and instruments to prepare everything. 

She showed Kame to the kitchen, and while he prepared a broth she told him about the young man. 

“My name is Aya and you are my last hope! I can’t watch how my poor boy’s been suffering from year to year, and I don’t know how to help him. I tried everything, but it’s absolutely useless.” 

She was the nurse who had raised the young boy from infancy because his mother had died immediately after his birth. And his father, she paused and continued bitterly, his father was absolutely indifferent to his son and didn't care. Kame knew that the man on the bed was the son of the owner: his name was Jin and his childhood had been plagued by bouts of pain. They had tried every possible mean to ease the pain, but nothing had helped. 

When they returned to the room, Kame noticed that the son of the owner lived in isolation. The portrait hid the entrance to the big south wing of the house and now, he understood why only the nurse could enter there. She left Kame alone with his new patient, explaining that Jin would feel better when he woke up if she wasn't there. Kame felt confused again because of her words and the mysterious disease. 

He spent the whole night near the bed, changing the wet towels on the burning forehead and feeding the half-asleep young man the broth that would ease the pain and make the fever disappear. He wanted to make a medical examination but with the patient still burning it was difficult, so Kame decided to wait. 

He tried to think about all the diseases that he knew with such symptoms and the way to heal them; maybe it was some genetic or inherited defect, or an infection. He checked the different possibilities in his head, excluding the inappropriate, weighing pros and cons and at the same time, checking the wet towels and the pulse of the man. 

Kame wasn’t sure what time it was; looking outside through the big windows, he saw that it was still night and his patient was starting to breath better. Without making any sounds, Kame was waiting for the nurse to come and show him the way back, but she never came and Kame fell asleep, at the corner of the big bed. 

Morning came and it was too bright. Kame covered his eyes with his hand, feeling the fluffy pillow under his head and wrapping himself better with a blanket. But then realization hit him; his pillow was stinky and the blanket itchy, unlike these. He opened his eyes and met another pair very close to him. 

“I can’t hear you.” 

The voice sounded hoarse and immediately his patient, who last night was too weak to even move, was on his feet and started repeating it with a wide smile. 

“I can’t hear you! I can’t hear you at all! I try to, but nothing, just silence! Maybe I’m cured now!” 

The man talked to Kame with sparkling eyes and a very happy smile, and Kame started wondering why while thinking about a diagnosis of the man’s disease, he had not thought about schizophrenia or about some other kind of mental disorder, because this behavior suited it: mood swinging, pain, fever. Kame was still counting the symptoms in his head when his patient jumped off the bed and said, still full of euphoria, “I’m so happy that I can’t hear you! So you can make miracles? “

It was natural that he couldn’t hear Kame because Kame hadn’t uttered a word yet. The son of his owner (and technically his owner too) was mumbling without a pause and Kame wasn’t sure how the latter would react if he was to hear Kame. 

Kame added ravings of a madman to his now long list of symptoms in his head. But first he said, “I must conduct a medical examination.” 

Kame tried to speak calmly and gently. He had no idea what had the nurse hid from him; maybe this guy was prone to rage attacks, and thinking about his father it wouldn’t be so surprising, and it would explain why he was isolated in the first place. 

His patient sat still on the bed, placing his hands on his lap obediently and looking expectantly at Kame. This behavior made Kame look even more suspiciously at his patient. Kame climbed out of the bed and came closer to the man. 

“Open your mouth.” 

The latter did it, making some noises. It wasn’t even red and looked normal. Kame checked his eyes, ears and nose, while the latter just let Kame do as he wanted. 

“Lie on the bed and undress yourself.” 

His patient did it too, lying on the bed naked. Kame had meant for him to take off only his shirt, but maybe he would have to be more specific next time, if it ever happened again. Kame finished the examination still feeling confused. He checked the skin, palpated his liver, checked his heart, measured the pulse… He checked everything, sometimes hearing how his patient started giggling because Kame's touches tickled him. This man looked absolutely healthy and looking at his well-built body, he seemed sportive. There wasn’t any trace that could give Kame even a hint about how to heal him or what to heal. He turned back toward his patient, who was still waiting lying naked on the bed, looking at Kame curiously.

“You can dress up now,” Kame said feeling how his neck was red now; it wasn’t like he had never looked at naked man, all his patients had usually been naked and under strong anesthesia, but this one had a disturbing effect on Kame. 

“That means I’m healthy and this will never happen again?” Jin asked excitedly. 

“I’m not sure.” Kame answered honestly. 

“Why?” 

Just in that moment, Kame was saved by the nurse who opened the door, holding a tray with breakfast in her hands.

“Jin! I can see you’re feeling better. I bring something to eat, this is your favorite.” She said with a smile, coming closer. 

“I can hear you.” 

Kame looked at Jin’s face. His  voice was full of sadness and the expression on his face suggested he had just lost someone very dear to him and the whole world was falling down, crushing all his dreams. 

“I’m so sorry, baby.” The nurse said with a torment in her voice, caressing Jin cheek.  
   
Kame thought that maybe the nurse had the same diagnosis as Jin. Something strange was going on there and Kame had no clue about what it could be. The only hint was that yesterday night, Jin had a high fever and was suffering from pain but now, he was absolutely healthy. 

Kame heard a bell from the outside; it was time for work and he was panicking thinking that he had to hurry or he would be punished by the guards. The nurse saw the panic in his eyes. 

“I will show you the way.” 

Kame prepared to leave. He was already near the door when he heard, “But I still can’t hear you.” 

Kame turned around and met Jin’s eyes. The sunlight came to the room from the big windows, filling it with light, and Jin stood in the middle with his long black hair that was almost sparkling under the sunbeams; Kame felt like suddenly it was difficult to breath. His skin was smooth and his features looked like they had been painted with a fine brush; there was something unreal  in the man, like  he was not from this world, was too perfect for it. His brown eyes had a warm radiance. Kame couldn’t explain, he just felt it. He had never in his life seen such a beautiful creature. 

 

* * *

 

Smooth, silky, healthy and beautiful. Those were the words you could use to talk about hair, but not sparkling and glittering. Hair couldn’t sparkle under the sun, not like this. Kame was still thinking about the last image he saw before leaving the house. As a doctor, he had tried to find a reasonable explanation for what he had witnessed that morning, returning to genetic diseases and thinking even about hormones, but none of it could make your hair sparkle. 

Kame was seating on his bed, feeling anxious. Maybe this was a symptom too, thought Kame and then, he was horrified by the terrible realization that this disease could be contagious. What if it was transmitted by airborne droplets? Kame had spent all night near Jin, so he could be infected too and was seeing hallucinations now. Kame started counting his pulse and checking his armpits. When he raised his head, full of anxious thoughts, he met with four pair of eyes, looking strangely at him. 

“What are you doing?” Maru asked carefully. 

“My hair?” Kame almost whispered. 

“What is wrong with your hair? It’s longer now, compared to the day you came here.” 

Maru looked at him with concern in his eyes. Kame thought that he had to make sure; he took a deep breath and asked. 

“Is it sparkling?” 

He heard how Koki started laughing. 

“Of course not.” 

This explanation made Kame relax a little bit. Maybe it was just an optical illusion after all, and nothing serious. He made it almost in time that morning and went to work with the others. During the long day, he had felt a few times how his heavy eyelids had started closing slowly but feeling the push of Ueda’s elbow on his ribs, he had woken up and continued to work. 

Looking at his friends now, he was sure that they were curious about where he had spent the night, whether he had met with the evil Akanishi, and why he was still alive then. 

“His son was sick.” Kame said, hoping that they didn’t want to hear any details and his explanation would be enough. 

“You saw his son?” 

Koki looked really shocked and told them the story about Akanishi, who was a pirate during his youth, very famous and so merciless that he used to be called Devil. But one day, he just decided to give up piracy and no matter how strange it had looked, the Brotherhood let him. Koki thought that the Devil had had to pay a big sum for it, and then he had started living in this island and he had gotten married. The pirate brotherhood was full of rumors about his wife: someone said that he had stolen her and decided to live in this island to hide her. But she died while giving  birth and after that, no one had seen Akanishi’s baby, and pirates had decided that the story was just a rumor. 

“Why is he hiding his child?” 

Taguchi’s question was hanging in the silence. 

“Is he ugly?” 

 _Is he?_  thought Kame, remembering the full lips, the smooth skin, his face and his bare chest, and the only word that came to his mind was “perfect”. 

“Not really.” Kame answered, trying to sound nonchalant. 

He saw how his friends wanted to ask more, but loud screams interrupted them. It was almost dark already and after a few minutes, it was time for sleep, but they could still hear the screams and pleas. 

“Akanishi has decided to check his slaves.” 

Kame heard how someone said it and he remembered about brown deep eyes that looked so warmly at him. 

 

* * *

 

A few weeks passed before Kame again found himself near the big portrait on the wall. Looking more attentively at the woman’s face, he understood that she was Jin’s mother; he resembled her a lot and the hair… Her hair was black and the painter had been able to convey the unusual sparkle. 

This night, Jin’s condition was in a worse state. It seemed like the pain had increased and Kame with despair understood that his herbal broth couldn’t help to ease it. Jin was suffering, he could see that clearly: the way the man curled in his bed, squeezing the blanket with his hands and throwing his head from one side to the other. Kame saw tears falling from his closed eyes; the pain had to be unbearable. He tried to do all he could, sometimes just gently caressing Jin’s forehead, feeling powerless. At some point, Kame thought that Jin was dying: his pulse almost disappeared and this terrified Kame to death. 

Kame spent the whole night near Jin’s bed, almost counting every breath, and only after few hours, his condition became stable and Jin started sleeping peacefully. Kame ruffled his own hair anxiously, feeling absolutely lost. 

The nurse explained why Jin lived isolated and only she could enter his part of the house. Jin couldn't bear being in the same room with other people, as it gave him massive headaches and caused him pain. Even the presence of his father made him fall to the floor holding his head in a pointless attempt to suppress the pain. 

Kame looked at Jin’s chest, which was rising while he breathed, and gently put a hand on his forehead. He couldn’t even imagine how it was living your whole life in pain, alone. Kame looked around in the big room; now he understood that this was a cage, maybe luxurious and golden, but a cage nonetheless, and Jin was a slave of his disease, for which Kame didn't know the cure. 

You spend almost all your life studying and trying to understand how the human body works to be able to fix it and heal it, but one day, you understand that your knowledge isn’t enough to save the person you want to save, and the most terrible feeling takes a hold of your heart - helplessness. 

Looking at the man who was sleeping in front of him, sometimes quivering, Kame thought that if he only could, he would do anything to help Jin. If only he knew how, or just where to find an answer... Jin was a stranger to him, but remembering his smile in that morning, the fact he had thought that Kame could do miracles, Kame really wanted to be able to do miracles and save Jin from this pain. 

Kame gently held Jin’s hand, waiting for the morning to come. He was afraid to fall asleep and miss any change in Jin’s state, but at the end, it was impossible to fight with tiredness after a long day  of work. 

When Kame woke up, it was so warm and nice that he wanted to close his eyes again and fall asleep, but it was warm, maybe too much. Kame immediately opened his eyes, but when he tried to stand up from the bed, he felt a hand holding him still and Kame couldn’t move. He had a guess of who could be the owner of this hand. Kame slowly turned around in bed and again, like last time, was met with brown eyes. 

“It’s so good to hear silence and not to feel lonely at the same time.” 

Jin looked happy and sleepy but Kame remembered about all the pain that Jin had gone through tonight, and he had the urge to hold Jin and tell him that he was going to try to help him, even if he didn’t know how yet; he was going to find the way. But like the last time, Jin looked absolutely healthy and there weren’t any traces of disease. His face showed a healthy color with a blush across his cheeks, and Kame didn’t know what to think. 

It became difficult for Kame to think when Jin held him closer and hid his face in the crook of Kame’s neck. 

“He hates me, he hates my weakness and my pain and I can hear it, always. When he comes to visit me it hurts so much.” 

Kame could feel Jin’s hot breath on his neck, and he listened to the bitter confession. He wanted to ask what Jin meant when he said “hear” but he decided to do it later. Kame held Jin closer and soothingly caressed his hair. 

Embracing Jin, listening how he trustingly shared with him his pain and held him so close to his heart, Kame felt a strong desire to protect him. 

We are all lonely souls on this Earth, searching endlessly for understanding and acceptance. Sometimes, another lost soul, that you will meet in your long way, can open the whole world for you and fill your heart with different emotions, giving you the thing that you were craving so much for- a purpose to live for. 

 

***

 

 _The Island of the Sighs was from the very beginning a place where a lot of half-bloods lived after the shield was created; there, they tried to heal their broken hearts after the realization that their world would never be the same again downed on them. Even during the hardest time for them, half-bloods wanted to believe that they would find a way to win against adversity and everything would return to how it had once been. But they weren’t strong enough and didn’t have enough time; the shield broke all the hopes of a return to the life that they used to have._

 _The Island. A very beautiful and isolated island with soft white sand and a cerulean ocean washing over its shores. A very picturesque place with nice weather, long palms and colorful flowers, beautiful birds singing and lots of treasures hidden in the ground._

 _It was the smell of money that made the people from the Peaceful Land start making plans on how to find all the treasures. They understood that it would be a very hard task and they would need a lot of money and human resources to make it happen._

 _And they introduced slavery. That was the paradox of human nature, as not so long ago they had fought to save themselves from the perspective of being the wizard’s slaves, and now with their own hands they were depriving others of their freedom. Maybe it made more sense to create such a magical shield in the hearts of humans and magical creatures that would divide the good and bright feelings and desires from the dark and disgusting ones. But this is impossible. People have very contradictory natures and there is a battle inside their hearts every minute of their lives. Some are not very strong and the dark part wins, imposing slavery and erasing mercy._

 _But anyone’s patience has a limit and the people who have become slaves, mostly criminals, aren’t endowed with the gift of resignation. And one day, the vessel filled to the brim will explode and it is doubtful that someone will be able to stop it._

 

*** 

 

Kame became the personal doctor of Akanishi Jin, who had a very weak health and needed medical care. And it was miraculous how his father was absolutely indifferent about that decision of his son, who lived the life of a recluse. Or, just maybe, he had decided to show some indulgence towards his son’s desire, because Jin rarely asked for anything. 

Kame had already understood that they had some very complicated family issues and neither Jin’s disease was to blame for that, nor were the strange things Jin heard when his father was near. But Kame also had another theory: Akanishi the Devil was a very strong person, cruel, merciless. He looked down on his slaves like one would look at animals. He thought that he had the right to do anything and he couldn't accept any weaknesses in other people - and despised weak people. 

The man’s past and how he had given up everything to be with the woman he loved made Kame think that life wasn't too kind to him and had already punished the man enough, as he had lost his wife first and then couldn't even talk to his son without causing the latter pain. 

Nothing could justify his cruelty but Kame always thought that every coin had two sides and it was important to take everything into consideration. 

Once, Kame had asked Jin what he had meant by saying, “hears strange things”. Jin’s face had become pale but finally, he had tried to explain himself. He could hear voices; sometimes, they were very loud making him feel like his head was going to explode, and sometimes, they could be like whispers and scared him. He couldn’t make them stop if someone else was in the same room with him. 

Kame had to work like the other slaves, but when Jin needed him, he had to immediately come to the house and take care of his owner. Kame was happy that the pain attacks hadn’t repeated themselves after that night but, nevertheless, Jin was calling for him almost every day. 

”I like listening to the silence with you."

Jin stated that was the reason when Kame pointed out the latter’s perfect health. 

And Kame was silent almost all the time while Jin talked without a pause, sometimes not even letting Kame insert a word. He talked about everything: what he liked, what he disliked, what was dear to him and how he had grown up. 

Kame listened, looking at him with a gentle smile, and sometimes, ran his fingers over the silky black hair, enjoying the softness. Jin’s life had always been lonely and he was used to it. 

Kame loved how spontaneous and ingenuous Jin was, sometimes too naïve with his head full of air and that all made Kame smile, feeling how tenderness filled his heart. Jin was an adult who had grown up believing in miracles and the best side of people around him and, despite the pain and the solitude, he had a very cheerful nature and felt excited over plain things. 

Every time Kame came, Jin sat very close to him, letting him touch his hair and if Jin felt tired, he would lie down pulling Kame near himself,  as if he desperately wanted to feel Kame’s presence to prove himself that Jin was not alone anymore. He took Kame’s closeness as something absolutely natural, sometimes holding his hand or pulling at Kame’s curly locks. 

The south wing of the house where Jin lived had an exit that led to a small beach that belonged only to the Akanishi family and, because of Jin’s disease, no one was allowed to come closer. Jin loved that place and felt at peace there, because the sound of waves deafened the noises that bothered him. 

Once, Jin gave Kame a white paper folded in two and asked him to look at it later, staring at him shyly and hopefully. Kame took the paper, confused but unable to refuse since Jin had asked him to do it. He opened it while sitting on his bed; the light from the little window was the only thing illuminating the paper. It was a drawing, made with an ordinary pencil and Kame saw his own face with closed eyes; he was sleeping peacefully in the picture. It was so well done that Kame couldn’t sleep for a long time, thinking about Jin who drew this for him. It became Kame’s treasure. 

Jin showed him his other drawings with a shy smile and Kame looked surprised at the beautiful and skillfully made pictures. Jin drew his nurse, the ocean, a lonely ship crossing the horizon, his father’s eyes, and Kame in so many different moments and poses, and in every picture, he could recognize himself easily. 

They were sitting near the big window, looking at the cerulean ocean. It was a little bit chilly and even though Jin felt well, Kame had no idea what could trigger his disease, so they decided to stay in the room. Kame was sitting on the chair and Jin on the floor with his sketch book and a pencil; he was drawing something while Kame was gently braiding the man’s hair, which always made him feel enchanted with its beauty. Jin made soft noises, approving of Kame’s action. 

“Aya said you are not a magician, so what are you then?” 

“A doctor. I don’t believe in magic, I just heal people. ” Kame answered with a bitter smile. 

“You don’t believe in magic?” Jin turned around, looking at Kame with widened eyes. 

“Do you believe in love?” 

Sometimes, Kame wondered how such questions came to Jin. Love… Kame had never really thought about it, he had always had something else to busy himself with. 

“I’m not sure.” 

“But love is the biggest miracle in the world. It makes people find their soul-mates and burn with passion.” Jin’s face was so serious that Kame decided to keep his thoughts to himself on how the line reminded him of one from some cheap love novel. 

Kame finished one braid and looked satisfied at his work; then he took some other strands in his hands. The sun gently played in Jin’s hair and Kame felt so peaceful feeling the silky strands under his fingers. He looked at his hands, rough and coarse from work when they had used to be soft and sleek, a true surgeon's hands. 

“Does the stone you always wear mean anything?” Jin asked suddenly. 

Kame was startled by the question and for a moment couldn’t find an answer, thinking about pale lips and blood on a green dress. 

“It belonged to a girl who was my patient,” he said at the end. Jin continued drawing. 

"Where is she now?" Kame’s fingers froze holding an unfinished braid. 

”She is dead," Kame hoped that his voice didn't betray him. That had been the first death under his hands and even if Kame knew that the accusations in the court were unfair, the fact remained a fact. She had died and Kame hadn’t been able to save her, that had been his mistake and Kame would never forgive himself for it. 

“Were you in love with her and decided to keep it as an amulet that will remind you of happy memories?" Jin looked at him with sympathy and curiosity shining in his warm brown eyes. 

Kame had already noticed that today, Jin was in the mood to talk about love, but Kame was a bad company for such conversations, never really thinking too much about it and preferring to interpret love as some chemical reaction that led to a sexual intimacy, satisfaction and nothing else, really. That was how it had always been for him and he even managed to say hello with a smile if he met his ex-lovers after some time; not a lot of feelings involved. Kame had just never had time for that. 

Some very wise people often repeated very correct words: be careful, your silence could be interpreted as an admission of guilt. And Kame’s pause had the same effect on Jin, as he got closer and hugged Kame tightly. 

“Don’t worry, now I will love you and we will find where we belong.”

Kame pushed Jin away slightly, checking his expression. 

“What the hell is this?” 

Jin smiled sheepishly. 

“That is a line from my favorite book.” 

Kame had already guessed that by listening to Jin’s sometimes odd way of talking, but he doubted he wanted to know what kind of book it was. 

“I will show it to you!” Jin said excitedly while running out of the room, leaving Kame with raised eyebrows and a dubious expression. 

Just as Kame had thought it was a yellow love novel. Jin confessed with a smile and in a conspiratorial voice that he had borrowed it from Aya and Kame was sure that the poor woman had no idea what had become of her book, because Jin wisely hid it in his secret place. That explained perfectly the romantic and sentimental nonsense which flooded Jin’s rather empty (in Kame’s opinion) head. 

“This is beautiful,” Jin said dreamily, hugging the book, after having read some other sentimental rubbish to Kame. Kame looked unimpressed. 

“I want to fall in love!” Jin exclaimed. “This feeling must be great?!” That was more of a question, because Jin’s eyes were on Kame, waiting, like he was accepting Kame’s superiority in that area. 

“I don’t really know… this stone…” Kame touched the green stone on his neck, still feeling the warmth like the first time he had worn it. “It reminds me why I’m here and of my life and dreams that I have lost.” Kame felt sorry for his bitter voice, but it was a first for him to say that out loud, as if he had fully accepted the reality and how life had showed a not very bright side to Kame, having taken away everything from him. 

The silence hung between them for a few seconds and Kame stared at his hands, cursing himself for his words and blaming Jin’s closeness, which forced him to do things and experience feelings that had been unknown to him before, showing his weakness and thinking about the past, which he had tried to erase from his memory because it hurt. 

“I’m saying it for the first time in my life, but I really wish I could hear you right now.” 

Kame raised his head; Jin’s voice was different, deeper, and he looked at Kame like he was trying to sink into the innermost of his soul and find the pain, the crushed hopes and tears that Kame had never let go of and kept sealed up faraway. 

Kame gave him a smile, hoping it was not too pathetic. 

“Read me more.” 

Jin continued reading about a beautiful princess and a charming prince who had saved her life and decided to win her stubborn heart and beautiful body, and Kame was playing with Jin’s locks, listening to the velvet voice that soothingly healed his heart. 

It is very hard for some people to express themselves. They can share their happiness, letting a light smile appear on their happy lips, but with pain and grief they prefer to deal with them on their own, not wanting to bother other people or sometimes, being too lonely for that, as they cry bloody tears in the depth of their soul while their eyes remain dry. 

Kame felt like someone had made a breach in the strong walls that had helped him keep his emotions under control. 

Being near Jin, feeling the energy that burst out of him, wrapped Kame in something warm and made him believe. Jin was so cheerful, innocent and open to life that Kame had a big desire to hide him from the cruelty and unfairness of the world and the awful things that happened outside those doors. 

Each one of Kame’s days started with Jin, giving a meaning to his every breath and every moment. Feeling his closeness made Kame shiver and feel an urge to touch him, to caress the pale cheeks, to run his fingers through the silky hair and kiss him gently, but he tried to suppress it because even if Jin believed in magic, Kame didn’t and life had bitten him hard, teaching him to be prosaic and know his place. Even if being with Jin gave him wings, the understanding of his position and the shackles of slavery made him fall to the ground painfully hard. 

“You will suffer,” Ueda had once said, witnessing Kame’s state and like always understanding everything without words, and Kame had wondered if he was that obvious. 

Okay, maybe he would suffer, but he still wanted to be with Jin. 

The next time Jin fell to the floor, pressing his hands to his head, Kame was near and told the nurse to leave immediately. He hugged Jin, being with him at his hardest moment and feeling the trembling body in his hands; and with every cry Jin made, Kame felt his own heart sink in fear of losing him. 

That was the real hell for Kame, to think about his life without Jin. 

 

***

 

Jin was serious this day and it was strange. 

“You hear something?” Kame asked with concern, but Jin closed his eyes and pursed his eyebrows in concentration, taking a step towards Kame. 

“I can’t hear anything!” He finally said frustrated. 

“Isn’t it good?” Kame was confused. 

“I need to hear you!” Jin ruffled his hair and it fell around his shoulders. 

“Why?” It was obvious that he was hiding something and Kame wanted to know exactly what. 

At first, Jin threw a hesitant look at Kame, then went closer and placed his hand on Kame chest. 

“What are you doing?” Asked Kame, still trying to understand Jin’s actions. 

“You heart isn’t pounding and your eyes look like always.” Was it only Kame’s imagination or Jin was disappointed? 

“This is normal, because I’m healthy.” 

“Don’t you love me?” 

Jin’s question left Kame speechless. It was always difficult to understand his logic and the way he jumped from topic to topic, though it always led to some love quotes from love novels that Jin read to Kame, like he was waiting for a reaction. 

“Jin, I don’t understand you,” Kame said with a deep sigh. 

“Don’t you want to kiss me?” He couldn’t be serious, could he? Now Kame was really starting to worry. 

“Your heart is not pounding when you see me and you are not looking at me with the shiny eyes, frozen because of my handsome face and you just don’t love me and don’t want me to be your hero who will save you and make you happy.”

Kame could have taken that little speech as a joke if only Jin’s voice  hadn’t sounded so desperate. So that was how Jin saw the state when you fall in love, he thought with a smile. His heart was always pounding when he felt Jin’s hands on him, he needed the strength to stop looking at his face with such warm eyes, and maybe he loved Jin…

Kame couldn’t speak a lot about love, so he just kissed Jin’s lips. He felt how the latter answered hesitantly at first but after a moment, he pressed Kame closer to him, like he didn’t want to let go. 

“You heart is pounding!” Jin said contently against Kame’s lips. 

“I love you,” Kame whispered, kissing him again. 

Is it possible to forget the first time you feel the taste of lips that belong to the person you love with your whole heart? You will always cherish these memories: the first time you caressed his neck gently, placing light kisses and feeling how his chest rose trying to be closer to you. You feel that this happiness is unreal, because you don’t know how you can deserve to have such  love in your life. You whisper a lot of gentle words in his ear, making him shiver under every touch and ask for more. His hands in your hair pull a little bit painfully, but you are happy that you can make him feel such pleasure, wanting to give more and more, to lose yourself, to vanish and become the part of him. Because of him, you start dreaming again. 

When Kame opened his eyes, it was still dark outside, and he felt a heavy arm embracing him and snuggled closer to  the warm body. 

“Don’t go.” Jin’s voice sounded sleepy, but he held Kame’s waist possessively. 

“Have you ever thought what you would do if you couldn’t hear  those voices anymore?” Kame asked in a low tone, turning around and now facing Jin, who kissed him gently. 

“I would run away with you, making you free and no one would ever find us.” Kame chuckled, he liked this idea. 

“And where would we go?” 

Jin made a serious thinking face and then said with a smile. “We would find where we belong.” 

Kame pinched his shoulder. “And you would love me?” 

In the darkness, Jin’s eyes looked so unreal with radiance that it made Kame want to kiss him and he did it, kissing his chin and then proceeding lower. 

“Yes,” Jin said, “and we would live happily and let the fire of passion burn us alive.” 

Kame started laughing. “Is that from this awful book?” 

“Yeah, but the idea of it is beautiful!” complained Jin. 

Two intertwined bodies, soft laughter and dreams shared in the darkness of the night that may become true, but who knows…

 

***

 

“Kame.” Jin’s voice was weak and hardly audible. 

“I’m here!” Kame screamed but couldn’t hear his own voice. He saw Jin lying on the bed, just like the first time he saw him. 

This damned pain was here again, torturing Jin. Kame had a big saber in his hands and it didn’t even look strange there. Kame raised his saber while trying to get closer to Jin, who was still calling out to him, but he couldn’t. It was like an invisible shield didn’t let Kame approach the man. Kame brandished his saber trying to make his way through this invisible shield, but all his attempts were useless. 

“Jin!” He started screaming, knowing that Jin was dying and he couldn’t even help him. 

“JIN!” 

Kame woke up with his heart beating in his chest like crazy and it was difficult to breathe for a second; Kame needed time to calm himself down after the horrible and strange nightmare. The dream was terrible, but waking up near Jin made him breathe in relief, looking at the beloved face from up close and seeing it healthy. Kame was breathing heavily, still feeling suffocated after his dream. He touched Jin’s wrist, checking his pulse, and then placed a soft kiss on his forehead. Just feeling Jin’s warm body near was sufficient for him to calm down. 

Kame couldn’t sleep anymore. He carefully dressed himself, as he didn’t want to wake Jin up, and left the room. The last months that he had spent as Jin’s doctor, friend and lover had been a magical time for Kame. 

Sometimes, he stayed with Jin for days on end, especially when the latter had those pain attacks that had become worse lately, and horrified Kame with their force. 

The life on the Island had become quieter during the past days; Maru had called it the lull before the storm and Kame agreed with that statement, feeling how slaves became impatient and used Akanishi the Devil’s absence to make some strange meetings. Kame didn’t approve of it and when he saw how his young and hot-tempered friends wanted to join, he forbade them to, because it was too dangerous and Kame doubted such meetings and a little disturbance would have any effect. Slaves were slaves, just a crowd of criminals, who in the last minute would try to save their own life, leaving others to die under the owner’s lash. 

Kame left the house. From the hill, he had a good view of Akanishi’s land and he understood with horror that it was already too late. Enraged slaves were making their first move and judging by the flames that were taking a few of the slaves’ houses they didn’t want to stop. At the same time, Kame could see a few big ships coming from the Peaceful Land, ships with armed and trained fighters. He  could recognize the colors of their uniforms, because his father had wanted Kame to be one of them. 

Kame looked at the house. Jin was safe, the guards were ready and no one could harm the house, but as new flames caught his eyes, he realized the guards wouldn’t care who started it; they would punish them all and it was his house with his friends that got embraced by the fire. 

Kame had no time for thinking, he had to do something or it would be too late. He ran as fast as he could towards the slaves’ house. It was locked just like he had thought; the guards or the slaves with their inhuman methods had left the people whose only desire was to be peacefully left to die. He saw a slave from another house. He remembered his ugly wild face, already covered in blood with a saber in his hands, but Kame could think only about his friends who were going to slowly die in the fire if he didn’t open the door.   
The months of working and the memories from his youth made his body react fast. Suddenly, he had a saber in his hands and the slave was lying next to him. Kame was sure that he was alive, only unconscious for a few minutes and this was all that Kame needed. He brandished the heavy saber and after a few very strong hits, the smell of soot and burning wood hit his nose and made him close his eyes. He felt how the door gave way under the blows and finally opened. Kame was screaming the name of his friends, trying to find someone in the thick curtain of smoke, when he saw them, alive, swiftly trying to destroy the wall of the house. 

They had no time. They had to run from there. 

“Here!” Kame screamed and saw how they followed his voice and fell on the ground trying to breathe and make the suffocating feeling go away. Kame knew that the fresh air would be the best thing to feel better. 

It was a real hell with fire and smoke flying over their heads and coloring the sky in dirty stains. They ran to the sea and, the only thoughts in Kame’s head were to go as far away from the nightmare of the bloodshed as possible, to stop the terrible smell which seemed to sink right into the skin. The heavy saber was still in his hands and he saw how his friends had found different weapons on their way to the sea. They were on the ground, squeezed in the hands of dead rebels who didn’t need them anymore. 

They hid at a beach, under the rocks near fighters’ ships; twenty people from the same house without any direction or any idea about what to do next. The most impressive ship had big letters on it reading _Señorita_. 

Kame had an idea in his mind, an absolutely crazy and absurd idea. Jin’s words were ringing in his head. 

 _“I would run away with you, making you free and no one ever would find us.”_

All the fighters had to be at the shoreline trying to stifle the slaves’ uprising so maybe their dream could become true after all. 

In some moments of our life, we do things that we have no idea we are even able to do. Taking a saber in your hand, fighting for life and trying to fight against your destiny to change it, to make your dreams real for the sake of the one you love the most. 

Kame was on  board of _Señorita_ , he knew that at first his friends had been shocked by his actions, but still they followed him and covered his back. It was not a very easy mission but when you are desperate and feel the drop of freedom at the corner of your tongue, nothing will stop you. 

 _Señorita_  was captured by the rebelling slaves in less than twenty minutes, almost under the Peaceful land’s army and government’s noses. 

 

***

 

Kame was running towards the big white house at the top of the hill; he had ten minutes before the ship would be near Jin’s side of the island, and they would be able to leave together. With a loud bang Kame opened the first door and ran through the long corridors and rooms; the road seemed endless to him, but at the same time, he felt excited. Very soon, they would be free and he felt confident that he was going to find a way to help Jin. Besides, the ship was big so Jin would have his space to feel better if the voices bothered him and Kame would always be near. 

He was near the portrait already and opened it easily, calling for Jin. But there was no answer, maybe he was sleeping. Kame checked the bed, but it was empty. Kame stopped in his tracks; that was strange. Panic rose in his chest. What if the slaves had found Jin first? He tried not to think about it; the door was untouched so it couldn’t be that. Kame was calling Jin desperately. They had so little time… And then he noticed the broken glass from the door that lead to Jin’s beach. He ran there feeling how the sharp pieces of crushed glass door cut his hand, and then he saw Jin. 

He was standing on a big ship. Kame had never in his life seen a ship like this; it was really elegant and with an image of a red lion at the side. Jin’s lonely figure was at the upper part of the ship with his back facing Kame and his beautiful black hair fluttering in the wind coming from the sea. He was leaving. Kame couldn’t believe his eyes; Jin was leaving without him. 

“Jin!” Kame screamed but his voice drowned in the sound of crushing waves, and Jin didn’t move from his spot. 

Kame ran to the ship that had started moving pretty fast, calling desperately but Jin didn’t look back, not even once. Kame fell on the sand and the saber fell with a thud near him. He covered his eyes with his hands, wounded by the shreds of glass, and the blood left traces on his face that looked like bloody tears. Kame was crying for the first time in his life, because Jin was gone and even if Kame had freedom now, he didn’t need it without Jin. He didn’t feel the pain from the wound; his heart was aching and it was unbearable. 

What was the sense of having freedom and a new future waiting for you if you can’t share it with the one you love? Everything that filled your life and made it full just disappeared, leaving you ashore with a painful emptiness and numbness when you don’t care anymore. 

 _Señorita_ was here now with Koki calling Kame’s name, but Kame didn’t respond. He didn’t protest or say a word when Ueda and Taguchi almost dragged him on board of the ship; they looked at the blood on his face but then noticed the wound on his hand. 

Maru wrapped bandages around his hand mumbling about stupid doctors who couldn’t take care of themselves, and the sailors under Mitsu’s orders supervised the new ship like they were at home, talking loudly and laughing nervously after such a strange night. 

“Have you seen this galleon?! It was amazing! I have never seen anything like this before! I wonder what the red lion means.” 

Kame heard voices that made him wake up from his numbness. 

“These are the arms of a very ancient family,” Koki said with a superior tone. 

Kame was near Koki in a second. 

“Do you know how to find them?” Kame sounded desperate and they were his first words after he had returned to the   _Señorita_. 

“Even if I don’t know, I know the one who will help us with it.” Koki answered with a smirk. “We are going to the Pirates’ Islands,” he announced proudly. 

Kame looked at the horizon, thinking that if there was even a tiny little chance to find Jin, he would give everything up to follow it. He would live, he would fight, but he would find Jin. The worry didn’t let go of him. Who were the people who had taken Jin away? Why did they do it? He had to be feeling lonely, and the voices in his head must be causing him pain. Kame felt anxious and frustrated. 

Suddenly one of the slaves fell  on the wooden floor, touching his chest. Kame ran closer and checked his pulse; he was dead. 

“What the hell is this?” Kame whispered, afraid that maybe there was some disease aboard. Two more people fell to the floor with hearts that had just stopped beating. Kame didn’t understand and he felt horrified; if it was a disease, they were all doomed. 

Koki covered his face with trembling hands. 

“They were humans.” He said faintly. 

“And what about us?” Kame didn’t understand what that was all about. 

“Half-bloods,“ Koki said. 

 _Half-bloods?_  Kame thought, feeling the warmth of the green stone on his neck and seeing the shield that looked like the gigantic rainbow. That colorful beautiful thing had just taken away people’s lives. 

Magic? If it showed him a way to find Jin, he would try to believe in the magic.   
 


	3. Chapter 3

  
_The Pirates Islands are a very noisy place, where every person may find a bed to sleep in, food to eat and good company. Pirates can be charming and friendly. They are not just cut-throats who will wait for you around a corner and with a saber pressed against your neck, steal your money with a smirk. Sometimes, they can be pretty civilized._

_The Pirate’s brotherhood abides by their own law, the Pirate Code and they don’t submit to people or magical creatures, they are freedom-loving and very cheerful people armed to the teeth, who are normally happy to do a favor and for another pirate, but  who will always make sure that their generosity is rewarded with gold._

 _Pirates can be disciplined people, and their brotherhood is based on a hierarchy that recognizes the importance of good subordinates. Pirates must always have a leader, and that power has always belonged to Johnny, who was considered the fiercest, legendary, wisest and fairest pirate alive, but he also had a large spacious closet full of skeletons. As no one never saw him in person, the mysterious and glittering aura around this pirate grew and grew and finally, rumors that he is  the most powerful and almost immortal half-blood were heard by all._

 _Yet, somebody always wants to become the new leader and pirates usually fight with each other, absolutely forgetting about the main purpose of piracy in this world. They want a good fight, a good ship and a lot of gold and they are ready to do almost anything to have it._

 

***

 

After smelling freedom, the runaway slaves from the Island of Sighs arrived at the shore of the main Pirates Island. 

Kame felt how excited his friends were, stepping into the wide central square and seeing the crowd walking and cheering. The port was full of pirates ships, all flying under the glittering Johnny’s flag,  which immediately showed that other ships out there in the open ocean spaces and that this ship  was Johnny’s and you must think twice before coming closer. 

Koki explained how the Pirate’s Brotherhood worked, how you had protection and asylum whenever you needed it, how you must obey he Pirate’s Code and give a percentage of your booty, usually payable in gold to Johnny. So for these slaves, who now had a good ship, it was a good chance, because they had nowhere else to go. 

Kame wasn’t sure if he wanted to be a pirate. It was one thing to be accused of a crime, and know that you  hadn’t committed it, but another to become a sea robber; even if you obeyed some pirates’ law, this was still robbery and brigandage. This was against his principles and he would never kill or harm someone even for the sake of Johnny, if he thought that the person was innocent. 

How could he then look into Jin trusting eyes, and feel the weight of his crimes in his heart and know about the people he had hurt? 

After wondering in the island and finding a good dinner, they returned to the _Señorita_ to decide their destiny. The young sailors were eager to join this glittering world and Koki cheered them, because this was his place, where he could breathe freely. He drew amazing and bright pictures of their adventures and new life full of gold and fights, but Kame was silent. 

He couldn’t share their excitement and he looked with heavy eyes and tried to find the right words. He licked his lips nervously and stood up. The last memories of the slaves uprising were very fresh in his mind and the horrible images made him sick. The others grew silent and waited for Kame to speak; lately he was too quiet and melancholic and his friends had started to worry about him. 

“I don’t know what life has prepared for me, I don’t know what the next day will give and where I will spend it, but I don’t want to look at my hands and find blood on them. We can survive here by respecting each other and protecting our lives, but killing for gold and living without principles and without understanding the value of human life, those are not my rules. I can't live like that.” 

Kame heard a soft chuckle and Koki rose to his feet. 

“Do you know the first and the most important rule in the Pirates’ code?” He asked cheerfully and meeting Kame's confused expression, continued with a mischievous smile. “A pirate ship sails under the Captain's rule. That means you, Captain!” He paused meaningfully. “Lead us the way you think is the right way and we will follow you.” 

He looked at his friends and heard their cheering but Kame wondered why they had such a strong belief in him? The weight of the new responsibility settled on his shoulders, and he understood that he had a goal. He must find Jin; not knowing Jin's whereabouts was killing him. For pirates, every road  was open so, as it was the only way to find Jin, Kame agreed to go on as their Captain. 

There was great joy to be found in wandering around the open seas; with no restriction, just the blue sky and cerulean sea. After a life full of forced acceptance of the unfairness and buried pride and dreams in a very faraway place,  a life without future or hope, they wanted to take part in everything that life offered and sometimes, became too greedy for it. 

Kame had different qualities  in his character and the most important was the ability to make a right decision, sometimes a well-pondered one, sometimes throwing himself into the pool headfirst acting only on instinct, but he never regretted his decisions and this allowed him to move forward. 

Conceding  defeat, giving up: those were unacceptable for Kame. If he couldn’t achieve his goal, that meant that he must try harder or he must simply find another way. 

The article was signed by Kame's hand, and the agreement that now he and his crew were officially part of the Brotherhood was sealed. And to prove their loyalty, he was required to fight alongside the pirates against any outsiders and obey their law. 

Almost two weeks were dedicated to training and equipping the ship, the timbers were colored and the new name engraved on the keel, and the ship was christened _Kurogin_. The crew was ready to sail and all of the sailors were chosen by Kame himself. He did not need the killers and thugs, he needed the experienced and brave people who were not afraid of risks and had useful knowledge of the sea. Kame liked the feeling of adrenaline in his blood. He was ready to move forward and to explore the world before him. 

Kame did not deceive himself, and he knew that if he chose the path of being a pirate, then blood would eventually be shed as it was impossible to deter pirates and their hot tempers from their craving for adventures. A new life began for him, and he started to wear a red coat with a sparkling collar over a white silk shirt and a pirate hat, dismissing the hair that had grown long over his time as a slave with a smile. Finally, the ship was ready to sail and he gave orders to weigh the anchor. The full white sails billowed and their flag with the image of a red skull flew above them. They set out filled with anticipation. 

Kame felt life burning in his veins; he was ready to be part of this new world. The last year had taught him how to deal with bastards who couldn’t hear the voice of reason and created situation where only the strong blow of a fist would help resolving them. The saber was hanging at his belt and calmed him with its weight, and he found that he routinely held it close to him. He learned the tricks of the trade, without which they couldn't survive among the others who didn’t always recognize a fair fight and were ready to stab you in the back for a bottle of rum. 

 _Kurogin_ was ready to fulfill her first mission and Kame thought about Jin's black silky hair, which flowed between his fingers, shimmering in the sun like black silver and the memory of his soft laughter warmed his yearning heart. 

As a debut, pirates must fulfill the first mission given to them by the Brotherhood, so _Kurogin_ had a set destination. Kame felt slightly nervous, because that was his debut as a Captain too and he wanted to be worthy of his friends’ expectations, who had entrusted their lives in his hands. 

He threw a look at the sky. What was absolutely baby blue and serene just an hour ago was now spotted with dark clouds, which seemed to be gathering in the distance and the sight made him furrow his eyebrows. 

“It will be sunny soon and all the clouds will disappear.” Kame heard a calm voice near. He turned to see Ueda's face. His hair was longer now and gave a very soft expression to his delicate features. 

“How would you know?” He asked, still anxious. 

“I know, I always do. I can feel it.” 

Kame thought about the chronicles of this land and about people endowed with magic, the shield and a pirate’s main goal. It seemed so unreal to him, but his life had taught him, that nothing  was as simple as it  seemed from the beginning and magic might live in people around him and he  couldn’t ignore this fact looking at Taguchi 's strength,  Ueda's gift of premonition and Maru's ability to create a scheme and  to find the best sea routes from information on the maps. Kame looked at the sailors around him and in every single person, a magic seemed to flow. Sometimes, it was absolutely invisible and very easy to miss it or mistake it for something else. 

He wondered if he possessed any ability himself but nothing came to Kame's mind and looking at the horizon line, he thought, that first, they must find the pirate ship called “Storm”. 

The ship “Storm” with her very honorable pirates had lately been acting very strangely, rushing from one extreme to the other. They had attacked pirates and stolen from them and, boarded the galleons belonging to the wizards. Their last act was unpardonable; “Storm” had crossed the shield border and brotherhood could not allow that to go unquestioned. 

The sun was setting over the horizon, when _Kurogin_ caught up with "Storm" and they engaged in a battle. They started the attack with grappling hooks, and it all happened so fast, that the other pirate ship had no time to resist. It would have been useless anyway; Kame's ship was too well equipped and designed to keep enemies in awe at their arrival. 

Kame stepped on board of the “Storm” with his hand on his  saber; he wanted to show that they  could talk, because this ship had the Johnny’s glittering flag too. The crew of “Storm” welcomed them together, prepared and fully armed; Kame noticed three men at the main deck waiting for him. The conversation started with an exchange of glares, Kame felt three pair of eyes on him. One looked straight into his eyes, another threw a brief glance at his saber and the third slid an arrogant appraising glare over him from head to toe. 

“Who is the Captain?” 

Kame looked at them expectantly, his voice sounded clear and nasal. Koki said, that would show that you  were serious among pirates. He knew that his sailors stood behind his back and were ready to start fighting at any second and knowing them well, he could feel how impatient they were. 

“The Leader.” The arrogant pirate pushed him.

“Stop calling me like this,” the Captain hissed in response and Kame could understand why this ship had such a contradictory policy lately. He tried to hide a smile, feeling that today could be interesting. 

“We must talk and reach a decision that will satisfy all of us.” The third man made a step forward, trying to calm his friends down. 

Kame started to answer when the Curly haired man draw his  saber with a yell. 

“No talking, I will cut his throat; he is too stylish for a pirate!” His black eyes almost burnt a hole in Kame glittering new coat. 

“MatsuJun! It’s not the time for this!” The Captain tried to calm him. 

“Shut up, Leader! It was this stupid pacifist idea to take tourists through the shield and now we all get into this shit position because of it …..and why is his coat  better than mine!“ 

His delicate nostrils flared and Matsujun's pose was designed to show his outrage over Kame's glittering coat. The Third man, the one who had tried to negotiate, flinched at those words. 

Kame raised his head and looked into the Leader's eyes; he  had no time for solving their inner crew problems, no more time for talking. 

“You can put down your arms and follow me voluntarily or I will force you to do so.”

Kame's speech was very calm, his voice hard as iron. He was serious and his eyes showed it, but he was young and new and pirates were always very cocky and happy to accept a challenge. The sound of metal was heard in a single moment and the sun glinted against the cold metal swords now held in the pirates’ hands. 

“We are ready to fight,” the Leader said, and looked obediently at his arrogant fellow with the curly hair. With a yell, a battle started. 

Kame listened to the sound of the attack around him; he already knew, how it would end. The power was on his side. Arms colliding and people screamed in the heat of the moment, and so many of them were full of a burning desire to destroy and play a little bit with their prey. 

“Psst. Psssssst.” Kame heard near his ear and turned to find a man, hiding behind a wooden bar. 

“You want a ship? Take it and everything else, it’s all yours. Just let us escape.” Kame for a second couldn’t process what he meant. “We are tired after spending who knows how many years fighting. How long should we fight? I don’t want to be  a pirate any longer. I hate pain and I wanted to be actor all my life and these guys just dragged me into to this sea faring life and I always feel seasick, because of ….”

Kame couldn't listen to the blabbering of this man any longer. Kame assumed he was a part of the crew who decided to hide during the battle, thereby saving his own skin and was ready to sell all the ship's crew to him in exchange for his own life and he was not even a captain here! Kame had no idea what the hell was going on with this ship, but this proposition sounded very promising. 

“I agree”. 

“Nice to deal with you, Cap ‘in!” The sly smile on his face looked almost innocent a second ago. You couldn't say how old this man was; he seemed young, but his eyes showed the opposite. “We will take a little boat and you should just feel free to make yourselves at home here. Aiba, take your monkey, we are leaving!” He said to someone, who was hiding behind him, another guy with a very happy smile and it looked so out of place on this  ship, which was currently in the middle of a battle. 

Kame raised his hand, and his crew needed only a few minutes to stop the battle. Five minutes later, they all watched as five runaway pirates with a monkey climbed into a small boat and were lowered into the water. They argued with each other as long as they were in earshot. 

“Where the hell are we going?” They could all hear Matsujun's angry voice. 

“Oh baby, if the circus curtains are opened,” singsonged the guy with the monkey  on his shoulder. 

“Shut up Aiba. I don’t want to dress like a clown!” The same voice, but now a little bit faraway. 

“You will be a magician, classy like none of these hos.” 

MatsuJun didn’t answer; Kame could see he  had a soft spot for the leader. 

The last line they heard before they drifted completely out of earshot was, “Going to a rendezvous with you.” 

Kame laughed; the first battle finished unexpectedly easily and he wondered how strange all these pirates are, but the prey in his hands had proved that sometimes, negotiation  was even better than any fight. 

The next months were full of new impressions for Kame and the crew of _Kurogin_. Sometimes,  negotiation helped to avoid fighting but sometimes, it was impossible and they plunged quickly into the heat of battle. Captain Kame with his strong and fierce crew became famous around the open ocean and there were always some daredevil who tried to challenge him. _Kurogin_ was a very tempting prey, but Kame never gave them a chance and always made sure he was strong in his position. 

Kame shared with his crew every successfully won prey and now, Koki had lots of sparkling heavy accessorizes, Ueda preferred some knives with very sharp double blades, Taguchi spent all his money on trinkets that Koki threw overboard, and Maru bought an entire collection of argyle pirates outfits which he wrongly thought made him look dangerous. Kame quietly suppressed a thrill every time he brushed his hand over his own new leather suitcase with new medical instruments and his new massive silver ring with a skull which blinked under the sun from  its position on Kame's strong hand. His knowledge was very useful for wounded pirates and Kame preferred to think about it as a balance in his life. The time he spent as a Captain of _Kurogin_  hardened him, strengthened his will and heart. His Crew confidently followed Kame's steps, sure that they  could entrust their lives  to his wise and brave hands. 

 

***

 

Smoke rose above the two ships that were locked in battle, the grappling hooks connecting them together. The glittering red flag of the _Kurogin_  was flying next to the black flag flown by ships that belonged to the “Black traders”, and the battle lasted for an hour. Volleys of gunfire were deafening, and the smoke burned Kame's throat, and made tears fall from his red tired eyes. Kame hated slave traders the most, because they obeyed no laws and were led only by greed and cold calculation. They paid Kame the same respect and hated pirates with an equal passion. The enemy refused to admit defeat and aimed to burn his ship together with  the people on it. 

"Back! Cut the ropes!" Kame yelled at the top of his voice. 

Pirates started retreating, running from the slowly drowning ship, some jumped overboard because the prospect of leaving their life  to Kame's mercy was unacceptable for them. Kame  didn’t like the idea of taking captives but sometimes, it was unavoidable. The ship moved away to a safe distance and Kame gave a tired look at the deck full of people; exhausted, wounded, as they waited for their fate. 

"Our next destination is Pirates Islands! You can choose to become part of the _Kurogin_  crew or stay  in the islands. On my ship you follow my rules or you will be punished!" 

Kame knew by heart those words and the reaction that usually came after them. His words surprised them, because pirates weren’t used to being given a choice, and they were prepared to face death. Pirates were not  loyal people by their nature and all they really needed was a ship, so Kame knew that some of them  would be happy to join his team. He was right; when they left the Islands after few weeks, having finished dividing the prey and fixing the ship, he had gained two new sailors, a man in his thirties who was an excellent cook and a young slender boy. 

The boy spoke rarely and always looked at his feet, and Kame didn’t want to see how the others could bully him. But if the boy chose this life, he must learn to defend himself. Watching from behind the helm, he saw how Senga and Taipi made fun of the boy’s big knitted hat. Kame noticed how his hand reached for the knives at his belt, just a few seconds and a fast gracious hand wave later and two knives were resting on each side of Taipi's head. Taipi froze with widened eyes, looking back at the slender figure in shock. 

Kame chuckled, amused; the boy was not so simple and very skillful when threatened. He needed people like this in his crew. 

 _Kurogin_  rocked gently at sea, the sun burning mercilessly down upon them, turning fearless pirates into a horde of lazybones who sought to hide in the shadows. Kame hadn't chosen a new target yet and already, he was losing hope of seeing again the galleon with a red lion on it. After researching the matter at Pirate’s Islands, he discovered that the red lion was the sign of a very influential and ancient family from Magic Land, but there was no admission for pirates to Magic Land. Kame sighed heavily, feeling how his head started aching from the heat. 

He noticed movements on the upper desk. The slender boy was surrounded by his other young sailors who were mocking and trying to provoke him again. Fights  were forbidden on his ship and if someone  would start one, Kame  couldn’t ignore this fact. He was close already and saw very well, how Taipi pulled the boy’s hat away, claiming that it was too hot to wear today. When long black hair fell over the slender shoulders, and revealed a lovely face that had been hidden by the formless ugly cap, Kame felt like someone hit him, stealing his breath away. 

If Kame was superstitious like other pirates, he could say that the ghost from his past had come for his soul, but he did not believe in such superstitions. Looking at her soft jaw line and hearing the loud voices of his crew full of indignation, he saw the face that was engraved in his memory. 

“There is a woman on board!” Kame heard the yells and all eyes were on him, waiting for the Captain’s action. Women were not allowed on a pirate ship because they brought misfortune and discord. Her cheeks were burning and wide opened eyes looked desperately at Kame. 

“Cap’tn! We must punish her!” Cheering followed this demand from a sailor. She was surrounded. 

“ Stop it!” Kame's voice made the pirates freeze. He looked at her face, a face that  he had seen so many times in his nightmares. “ You lied to your Captain. Ten days swabbing the upper decks and ten days in the brig.” 

Kame turned to leave, when he heard the displeased grumble of his pirates. He understood himself, that his punishment was ridiculous, but throwing her overboard wasn’t a solution for Kame either. His hand was at the handle of his saber and the pirates grew silent. That was good and he would ask Mitsu later to speak with the boys and look after her, but he wouldn’t tolerate opened disobedience. 

Ueda met him on the Bridge. 

“Ghost from the past?” 

“Can I fight with fate?” 

Kame was looking at her face; she had pulled her hair back into a ponytail and with a proudly raised head, had started cleaning the upper deck, and he thought about blood stains on green silk and touched the green stone at his neck. It was warm. 

 

***

 

The night sky was like a carpet, decorated with a multitude of stars, which pointed the way to any lost sailors. Kame’s steps made the wooden deck squeak in the silence. His eyes found the girl who was carefully washing the wooden railing. He was quite close, when she raised her head and their eyes met. For a moment, he was lost in the past where he could hear the sound of a gentle melody extracted from a wooden instrument by those deft fingers, and Kame was enchanted as he looked at the extraordinarily beautiful girl. 

He leaned on the railing, and looked at the calm dark sea. Only the moon made a light road, one that hid as it reached the horizon, making the sea look endless. He took the black ribbon from his neck, immediately feeling the lack of warmth as the stone moved away. 

“This belongs to you.” He placed the stone in her hand. She touched the stone lovingly. 

“I was in despair when I couldn’t find it.” Her eyes seemed glossy in the darkness of the night with only stars as a source of light. “This is my family treasure; this is not just a stone. I inherited it from my father and he from his father and so on. This…” She paused, as if she doubted Kame wanted to listen. 

“It’s warm,” Kame said calmly. 

“Really?” She asked in a surprise. “I never felt it.” 

“I…” She hesitated, like she was trying to find the right words and gripped the railing with her white hands. 

“My father was a historian, who spent all his life trying to prove that magic exists. They called him crazy. I was with him, reading and translating old books that told of magical creatures and their powers. I know the language and traditions of those people, the ones who can make miracles and I can help you.” 

Kame was silent, thinking that such knowledge could always be very useful. She touched his hand and he was surprised by the weight of a stone on his palm. 

“I think it now belongs to you.” He didn’t move and she added. ”Please.” 

He placed it around his neck, feeling the nice warmth of the stone at his chest. 

“That day, I…” He  could hear tears in her voice and remembered how skillfully she threw the knives a few days ago. 

“You have lots of work still.” He didn’t need an explanation. He wanted to forget and he had every right to do so. Kame turned but as he was about to head to his cabin, she tugged at his sleeves. 

“Thank you for saving me. Again.” She  couldn’t see Kame's face and the expression that was written on it, but it seemed like a big suffocating stone had disappeared from his chest, making it easier to breathe. 

In the old world, when he had untarnished dreams and another life and his hands were soft, he was found guilty of the murder of Kuroki Meisa and every single day, the weight of his innocence and the nature of the mistake had driven him crazy. So he was right after all, and his surgery had ended successfully. He was not a murderer. 

When life strikes you with unfairness and your name was slandered, a voice deep within you screams, “Why? Why me?”. And now, after a lot of nights waking up from nightmares and with the smell of blood fresh in your nostrils, this question endlessly repeats. Sailors love saying that every cloud has a silver lining and everything happened for a reason. 

 

***

 

After a few months wandering around the open seas and having fights with outsiders, Kame finally found it, the big galleon marked with a red lion. He was looking through his telescope from the Bridge and saw it was badly damaged and engaged in a sea battle, and was curious who was idiotic enough to dare to attack a ship with such a Flag, which showed that it was from Magic Land; but someone dared to and Kame  couldn’t ignore it. His heart was burning and pounding from anticipation. He could think only about one thing, Jin could be on this ship, and he would see him again. 

He had the colors hoisted to fly from _Kurogin’s_  main mast. It took a few moments to assess the situation, one that at first sight looked like the strange luxurious galleon was almost empty and only few people appeared on the damaged upper deck. For the first time, Kame saw a real magician. He heard Koki start to curse under his breath, he hated magician and preferred to be a good distance away from them. 

When the other pirates tried to attack in their usual way, one of the magicians used the power of fire to repel them and another one pushed a handful of pirates overboard with the wave of his hand. The number of pirates was still greater and the desire to capture the magnificent galleon was stronger than their superstitious fear of magic, so Kame attacked the pirate ship, as he saw how they had started throwing knives and had wounded the wizards. The pirates weren't part of the Brotherhood, they were just a gang of robbers, who thought that they had stumbled across an easy prey. 

The galleon with the red lion slowly listed to port, and began to sink. Kame with a charming smile that surprised all his crew, called the magicians and offered to allow them to board the _Kurogin_ . His intense gaze flickered over the faces of all the new-comers and with disappointment, he understood that Jin was not there. Nothing was simple in his life after all. 

“Welcome on board of the _Kurogin_  !” Kame said with a friendly and charming smile that made his whole crew flinch, because they were unaccustomed to seeing such a charming side of their serious Captain. 

“We have a wounded person and our doctor, he…” The man started chewing his lip. “Is no longer with us.” 

“I will do everything I can to help, and please feel free to make yourselves at home. You are safe here on board of my ship, you are my guest.” 

Kame ordered that the wounded person be placed in his cabin as it was the biggest on board. The patient was a young woman, her wound was deep and he carefully examined it before cleaning and bandaging it. She was talkative and Kame tried to keep her busy with conversation to distract her from pain. Her big eyes looked with admiration at her savior and she told him about her uncle, who wanted to control her life and tried to force her to marry the heir of the Cold Snake family, but she had chosen to run away on her Uncle's galleon rather than obey him. 

Now Kame understood why the young runaway princess of the Red Lion family was protected by just a few people. He couldn’t believe his luck. 

 

***

 

He was alone in his cabin, looking at the map and the route, that Maru had prepared and the red star that showed their destination- Magic Land, the Red Lion kingdom. 

“This was your plan from the beginning?” Meisa was standing in the doorway and he could recognize the accusation in her voice. Kame  hadn’t raised his gaze, trailing his fingertips over the map. 

“All your question about magic and their traditions, every minute of these past months that you spent asking me and talking about them? You just needed information?” 

“ Yes.” His voice was calm and his eyes, that finally rose to meet hers, made the blood rush to her cheeks. “What else it can be?” Kame poured a drink into his glass, looking deeply into the amber liquid. 

“You want to go to Magic Land.” It seemed like realization dawned on her. “But why?” 

It  was true that Pirates  could get to the Magic Land, but only if they received permission. If you were the savior of the princess of the ruling family, then all the doors for you  would be thrown wide open. Who  was Kame to reject the opportunity, which fate itself brought into his hands? If this was the only way to find Jin, Kame  was ready to seductively smile at a sweet princess; it really was not so difficult. Her shining black hair became the latest confirmation of his suspicions, which had grown together into a wave of confidence. Jin was a creature endowed with magic. 

Kame swallowed the rest of his drink, draining the glass and felt how the alcohol burnt his throat. They would meet soon. 

 

***

 

“Princess Anne is so beautiful and gentle.” Taipi looked at the Princess who was standing with Kame on the Bridge. She was talking to him, and her lively, soft laugh could be heard. 

“Yes, she is a perfect woman for our handsome and brave Captain.” Tama-chan said with a sigh, looking at Kame in his white shirt. Without his glittering coat, he looked younger, and for once he had a smile on his lips. 

“ So true. Captain needs a wife, one who has such cute soft laughter and is not cursing like a sailor.” Nika said the last phrase as loud as he could, and the sound of knife that Meisa was slowly sharpening against a wet stone became louder. 

“Maybe Kame-chan prefers that kind of girl but if you ask a me, I love a woman with knives.” The other young sailors started giggling at Koki's attempt to calm the situation. 

“Who the hell asked you?” she said with heavy eyes, but Koki continued, placing one hand at the place on his chest, where he  thought must be his heart. 

“My heart under your feet and our body and tongues, I will make you wet, baby and…” The knife struck the wooden surface near Koki's head and made him pause for a second, but he continued his weird love declaration as Meisa rolled her eyes in annoyance and ground the knife again. 

A sound from the Bridge made them look up at the Princess who had just pulled from her belt a leather lash. She raised her hand and the lash struck the wooden deck and made Kame flinch.

“Women are so scary.” Taipi couldn't hide his shock, as he watched Kame  trying to calm down a very displeased princess who was upset because one of the sailors had stepped on her dress. Meisa coughed lightly and with a very satisfied expression, began to sharpen another knife. 

 

***

 

 _Kurogin_  entered the port of Magic Land with the smart and honest Princess Anne on board. Kame enjoyed talking with the brave and hot-tempered girl, who smiled openly and wasn’t about to start blushing  at hearing his compliments; maybe her eyes became glossy and an amused smile appeared on her lips, like she doubted the truth of his words, but she was pleased to hear them nevertheless. 

Kame felt how close he was, all the time that he had spent wandering around the open seas over the past year was worth it; his search had not been pointless. 

 

***

 

 _The Magic Land. The life of the wizards is full of intrigue and manipulation and their society is strictly hierarchical, but unlike the Pirate’s Brotherhood which was based to some degree on talent, theirs was based on the purity of magical blood and nobility. Only the high society had the right to wear long hair, because hair is an indicator of status. During the last few centuries, power has belonged to the family of the Red Lion._

 _The Kings of the Red Lion family reign wise and long, because of a Seer and a Reader who are the loyal eyes and ears of the King. The Seer can look into a crystal ball and see everything the King wants and the Reader can read minds and alert the King about betrayal._

 _The legends tell that the most powerful Wizard, who had the power to control people's minds, was in love with his Reader, a beautiful witch. She couldn't read his thoughts, because of a stone he wore. And one night, she took the stone from him and with horror saw the future her King and lover had prepared for their people and magical creatures. She stole the stone and betrayed him, by helping to create the magic shield with other witches._

 _The stone was lost and from that time, no one was protected from the powers of the King's Reader._

 

***

 

The Palace was magnificent and Kame was amazed by this luxurious and at the same time ethereal place, where the King and his court lived. This place was full of magic. He saw beautiful women and men with long shining hair that covered their shoulders, their clothes also looked so airy and colorful. Flowers were used for decoration and their aroma filled the palace. 

Kame felt out of place in his pirate clothes, but he was there as a Princess' savior so he raised his head proudly and entered the main room with a confident stride. He took only Ueda and Maru with him, because the presence of pirates could be unwelcome and Koki flatly refused to leave the ship and set foot on the Magic Land. Pirates could be very superstitious. 

Kame's eyes ran over crowd, checking the faces of everyone present and searching for the one face that meant so much to him. He couldn't sleep at all the previous night and had felt so nervous all day long, thinking about Jin and how their meeting after all this time might happen, and trying to prepare the right words and wondering if he could just kiss Jin. He didn’t want to allow the thought that Jin  wouldn’t be here. The only dark thought that had crossed his mind during those years apart and made his heart clench painfully was what would Jin think about him having become a pirate, and could he accept Kame like this? 

So many faces, but he couldn't find the one with the warm brown eyes, that he so often saw in his dreams. Kame felt anxious, but at that moment, the gentle sound of a harp being played by a beautiful woman in a pink dress with blonde shining hair could be heard as they announced that the King would arrive soon. 

The King was very handsome and majestic and he entered the ballroom first. Kame noticed that Princess Anne walked behind him, following in her uncle's footsteps. The evening had begun and different guests loitered near the king trying to win his favor. His low and very pleased laughter could be heard as they tried to amuse him. 

Meisa spent the whole night telling Kame about court etiquette and forced him to take off the stone, because when wizards see magic items worn by people, they sometimes feel that it was inappropriate and could even feel offended. It made Kame feel uncomfortable; he had become accustomed to feeling the warmth of the stone against his chest to the extent that it felt like it had already become a part of himself. 

He could only speak with the King if the latter showed any intention to approach him, but that wasn’t Kame’s goal. He desperately searched the crowd and then felt his heart skip a beat. Just a moment, quick as lightning and Kame felt his legs become weak and only by leaning against Maru's shoulder was he able to prevent himself from doing something embarrassing. He was here and their eyes had met. Jin was here. 

Kame had a desire to run, make just a few big steps. His breathing was shallow, and he tensed his muscles, already preparing to take a step, when he felt someone grab his sleeve firmly. He turned his head and met Ueda’s cold eyes, his look reminding him of a faraway day under the burning sun and the feeling of losing control. 

Kame exhaled loudly, only then noticing that he'd stopped breathing. The king's velvety voice rang through the hall and the gentle melody of the harp flowed around the ballroom. Just for a second, Kame had forgotten about his surroundings and almost lost his head, and exposed his friends to danger. He saw so many eyes on them; the pirates at the King’s court, so many felt that was unacceptable and all guards were uneasy and watching them carefully. He would have time to talk with Jin, he still felt the warmth of  his eyes and the feeling of happiness spread inside him. After all those endless days, the fights, the sea, everything had been worth it, Kame had found Jin and he  would never ever let him go. 

 

***

 

“I love you.” The sweet whisper made him shiver and snuggle closer to a warm body. He didn't want to open his eyes, he felt safe and comfortable held in those strong arms. The only sound he could hear then was the heartbeat under his palm and nothing else. 

“I love you too, Kame. Stay here longer, with me.” He felt Kame's chest tremble, because of a soft laugh, the sound a little bit cracked, so familiar and morning-like. 

“Just few more minutes.” A hoarse voice and then gentle lips were kissing him, slowly, tenderly and Jin didn't want to open his eyes. His body felt so light, almost melting in the hands that belonged to the most important and precious person in his life. 

He felt those fingers pushed gently through his soft locks, felt how Kame kissed his neck, the way it felt like he was leaving a burning trail and making him arch his back asking for more. He was lost in the sensations of hands caressing him, lips exploring every inch of his skin and the overwhelming feeling of being complete. He was not alone, not anymore, Kame's loud breath and moans proved it. He held Kame closer to his chest, as if afraid to let him go and have to stay again in that dull painful emptiness. Jin's eyes were closed tightly and he cried his lover's name and then, he opened his eyes. 

Jin could only hear his own loud breathing and pounding heart. He placed a hand on his sweaty forehead with the bitter realization that it was just a dream, another dream and nothing else. The light from the small window told him that it was already morning, very early in the morning. The sun had just risen but Jin was used to waking up around that time, that became a habit. 

He rose from the narrow bed with messed sheets and the pillow fell onto the stone floor. Jin splashed his face with cold water from a jug, trying to wash away the remains of the dream. Over the last few weeks, he hadn’t dreamed at all, nothing, and this dream again knocked him hard. He thought it would all stay in the past and he was already over it, but every image of Kame made him feel so vulnerable and homesick. He had no time and couldn't afford the luxury of any weakness. 

Jin dressed very quickly, already hearing an insistent voice in his head calling for him. He threw a glance at the mirror, tugging his hair into a low tail and checking his brown shirt. He  didn’t really care about how he looked, just clean and invisible, that was what he had been taught he should look like. 

Jin pushed open his door and walked to the long corridor and dark stairs, the now familiar road. Jin knew every hidden door in this palace and it was his place to remain in the shadows and come when the King ordered. 

He reached the last door and Jin found himself in the big room, where the King had his breakfast, but now his uncle's face was red from anger and he was almost yelling at a girl sitting beside him at the table. 

Jin chuckled quietly to himself, the brave and lightheaded princess Anne was home again, no wonder. He was sure that someone would find this crazy girl and send her home again. She was too troublesome and her head was full of ships, lashes, horses and now pirates. Jin decided that reading her thoughts would give him a headache, so he blocked her like he always did. 

“Jin! Come here!” the King ordered finally, frowning as he realized that Jin was there.

“Your Majesty.” Jin bowed his head and did as his King said. 

“Hello, Cousin. You are again dark as a thundercloud. You have such a cute face. You must smile more,” Anne said with a wink and Jin only bowed his head in greeting. Her manner of talking without ceremony always confused him, but she might be the only person who was always nice to him and treated him like an equal. But maybe that was just her character as a rebel princess. 

Jin waited patiently; when his uncle would finish his breakfast, he would remember his presence. King Takuya wiped his lips with a serviette. 

“Today, we will have a party, because our beloved Princess is finally home.” The King's voice was full of sarcasm and Anne gave a sweet fake smile. “And our precious Princess found new friends, she got mixed up with pirates.” He almost spat the last word in disgust and Jin understood why his King was in such a bad mood, but he wasn’t even surprised, looking at  Anne's dreamy face. 

“Pirates?! Are you crazy?! You'd be better off spending time with wild animals than with those robbers and bastards.” The King took his plate and with all his might threw it on the floor. The princess continued eating, already used to her Uncle's raging. 

“Takuya, you must meet them! The Captain! He is the bravest and most charming person I have ever met, a million times better than this weakling you chose for me.” 

“Oh, no dear! I don’t want to dirty myself. I let your pirates enter the palace because they saved your precious brainless head and it's an ancient tradition, but if I ever again see you with someone like this, I promise you dear, I will turn you into a pig.” 

“You don’t have enough magical power for that.” 

Jin sighed, feeling his uncle would explode and wondering why this girl could never shut up in time. Any mention of Takuya's power made him rage, because he needed a lot of effort to make an illusion of his magic that  wasn’t as strong as everybody else thought it was. The King's next thoughts helped Jin understand why they had called for him. 

“Jin will be at the party and if he notices anything suspicious, your pirates will spend the rest of their lives in my dungeons.” Now, the King was smiling and showed with a hand motion that Jin was free to leave. His uncle's last thought made him stop, that was an order there was no need to say aloud, Jin could hear it and the King knew that his message would reach its destination. “Your hair has grown again, cut it.” 

Jin hadn't eaten yet so he headed to the kitchen with second thoughts. The idea of reading pirates' thoughts that would be bloody and frightening wasn’t very attractive, but Jin didn't have a choice really. 

He had a light breakfast and after that, he cut his hair shorter. He had no right to wear long hair in this palace. Maybe he was the king’s relative, but he was just half-blood, the child of a runaway princess, that left her family and betrayed their traditions. Jin had to be thankful that his family had found him and saved his life, healing his pain and teaching him how to use his powers; he had heard those words every day since he arrived here. 

His life, that meant nothing by itself, was to be dedicated to his King and Jin was lucky enough to have a magical power and be useful, just to be one of the King’s instruments, the King’s ears. He wasn't even a Reader, because his teacher was  the real Reader, so Jin had to do all the dirty work, like dealing with pirates or sneaking into town for information, spying and being absolutely invisible. Jin succeeded at it and his King was very kind and let him stay in the palace and didn’t throw him out. 

The party had almost started and Jin found a secluded corner to fulfill his duty. 

He saw Kame the moment he entered the ballroom, or to be precise, he first felt Kame's presence. That was like a storm of emotions and voices, dreams and nightmares, memories and tears, Jin heard everything, felt everything and he was deafened. Jin stared at Kame from his corner, noticing how long his hair had grown and how tanned his skin was, his confident steps, his strong arms, they all sent a wave of memories. What shocked Jin the most was that these were Kame's thoughts that he could hear clearly. 

Staying in the secluded corner, it was difficult for others to notice him, but Jin could see every single person perfectly. That was his place, where he did his job and these feelings that came with Kame's unexpected presence were too painful. Pain. Jin had almost forgotten how it felt to curl up on the floor, because of a painful attack, that took your breath away and gave you a burning desire to begin to howl. Yet, this pain was different. 

Kame noticed him and their eyes met. For a second, Jin felt like his was drowning, slowly plunging into his deep eyes and into the emotions that overflowed from Kame. It hurt too much, Kame's thoughts cut him like a knife, forcing him to feel and remember. Never in his life had he felt such a bond, he wasn’t sure if it was Kame who wanted to hold him close or if it was Jin himself, who wanted to run and hug Kame's shoulders and tell him all about these years. How he'd missed him and how lonely he felt and a lot of other embarrassing things he'd told Kame many times before in his dreams; how he still felt the same way and how only memories helped him stay sane. 

But Kame looked around and Jin woke up. Kame wasn't alone there, he felt the piercing eyes of another pirate that looked at him with a frown. Jin felt the room become suffocating. He needed some time to get his feelings under control. He turned around and stepped behind a curtain; he leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. He needed to calm down, just for a few minutes, but in that moment, he felt the presence of someone else and he knew perfectly well who that was. 

“He prefers it when your hair is longer.” Jin turned around and met his teacher’s eyes. 

“Why are you here? I can do it myself.” Jin tried to act nonchalantly. He heard a chuckle. 

“I know. I was just passing by when I heard his thoughts and they were so interesting, that I just  couldn’t leave.” 

Jin was silent, he had nothing to add; he just looked at how Anne started talking with Kame and the latter started flirting with the Princess. 

“He remembers you as being so naïve and adorable.” Takki's eyes were soft, but Jin didn't believe his touched expression. “You were so cute, thinking that the King would let you go if you asked him with all your heart.” 

Jin pressed his lips tightly, that was not a pleasant memory. He had just started learning to use his power that day, missing Kame so much and feeling happy that the pain had left him forever. His Uncle was so nice and kind and had then crushed all his hopes with a warm smile. He was fooled by the King's false kindness, thinking that he had found a family who would accept him, but reality opened his eyes and he fell hard and painfully to the ground with the realization that it was just a trap and there was no way out. 

“He came here for you. If only the King knew, how dangerous this pirate’s intentions really are…” Takki's voice sounded insinuating and Jin froze in horror. 

“Don’t.” He gripped his teacher's shoulder desperately. Takki freed himself and looked again at Kame through the curtain.

“People are so different, loyal and ready to make sacrifices for the ones they love. Your name is in his every breath, and he can’t even hide it.” 

Jin felt an unwelcome surge of affection. Kame licked his lips nervously, looking around and searching for him. 

“I hope you know what you're doing, Jin.” 

Takki sighed heavily and left Jin alone. Jin wasn’t sure of anything anymore. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to be fully absorbed into Kame's thoughts, all that took place in his head and heart and Jin decided he didn't want to know anything else today, he just wanted to disappear into Kame. 

Your only company was loneliness, when someone broke all walls around you, holding you close and caring for you. And you pressed tightly together seeking for warmth and love, because you wanted to be loved. You prayed for silence, but you wanted to listen to it feeling a warm hand squeezing your trembling one. 

He was the first one in your life, he gave you so much, and when you were separated, your only companion became loneliness again. You wanted to be selfish, to feel this amazing sensation again, you wanted to feel his eyes on you again, as if you were his whole world because for you, Kame had always been your whole world. 

 

***

 

 _Kurogin_  was rocking slowly at the port, part of the crew was drinking at the nearest Inn, where no one really cared if you were a pirate or not as long as you could pay for your rum and behave; the rest were left on board feeling the Captain's anxiety, who –like a wild animal in a cage– couldn't calm down and dashed around the ship and, only now, hid in his room, having closed the door with a loud bang, which made his friends follow his steps with worried eyes and flinch at the sound of the door closing. 

They wondered what had happened in the palace but Maru had no clue and if Ueda even knew something, asking was useless; he would sit with an impenetrable look on his face and never tell. 

When Jin first stepped on board, all eyes were on him and he heard the silent question. A young woman was the first to welcome him with an absolutely unfriendly expression. 

“What do you want?” 

“I want to see Kame.” He felt nervous, all confidence was leaving him. She looked at him from head to toe and motioned for him to follow her. 

Jin felt heavy eyes on him, the same pirate from the palace, and his thoughts were a warning: “I don’t care who you are or what you want but if you harm Kame, I will kill you with my own hands.” 

The waves of pure malevolence made Jin feel more nervous, almost every person was sure that Jin being on the ship was a sign of future misfortune. 

She knocked at the door and Jin heard Kame’s voice, sounding angry, or maybe that was just Jin's imagination: 

“What?” 

“Someone wants to see you,” the girl answered, eyeing Jin suspiciously, trying to understand why he was there and what he wanted from Kame, Jin could hear her easily. She opened the door and let Jin enter with a smirk on her pretty face. 

“I won’t allow you to enter and…” Kame sounded annoyed, he turned around and grew silent, when he noticed Jin. 

“I thought it could be important,” she tried to explain grumpily. 

“Leave us.” Kame was looking at Jin's face while giving that brief order. 

“But…” Jin could feel her anxiety and worry for her Captain but Kame glanced at her and she left the room. They were alone. 

Jin had been thinking about Kame all day, feeling his emotions, love, longing, the same feelings that lived in Jin's heart and when he found the ship and came here without a moment of hesitation, he wasn’t really sure what to do or say. His plan was simple; he would hear Kame's thoughts and act accordingly. 

Now, in a room with dim light from a few candles on the table and near the bed, having felt Kame's intense look, he couldn't hear anything, only silence and the soft wave splashes. That had to be a mistake, Jin closed his eyes, trying to concentrate, but he understood with some degree of panic that he couldn't hear Kame anymore. 

Again, he felt so nervous and insecure. His eyes fluttered open when he heard a low voice. 

“Jin.” Kame took a few steps and now was standing closer, but not close enough; Jin could still feel the distance and it made him anxious. 

“I saw you today in that room full of people. The pain? Has it stopped?” Kame's concerned voice was so gentle and Jin just nodded, not trusting his own voice. 

“Good.” Kame took one more step, now closer. 

Jin raised his eyes, Kame’s hair was wet and looked darker because of it, the white shirt was unbuttoned showing his tanned chest, strong neck, a black ribbon with a green stone and Jin's eyes trailed higher to see a tongue quickly moistening dry lips, suddenly he remembered about his dream and felt his face become warm and flushed. 

Now Kame was too close and Jin could feel the heat of his body, so familiar and strange. For so many long days and nights, it had been only memory and dreams to Jin. Sometimes, he had woken up in horror thinking that perhaps Kame had already forgotten about him and had a nice life free from him and that Kame was now with someone else. When they were together it was so simple and clear, but with every new day and every new disappointment in life, he had started looking around and seeing only superciliousness and cold indifference in the bright colorful cloth of magicians' clothes. They all looked through him, making him believe in his own insignificance. 

Kame's hand touched his cheek gently, making Jin lean into his warmth and close his eyes. Jin was lost in time, for him only Kame existed, and nothing else. The years that he had spent in the Magic Land disappeared. 

In the ballroom, he had felt Kame's worries about whether Jin would accept him; it felt suffocating and Jin had wanted to scream. 

 _Will you accept and forgive me for what I have done and who I have become?_

 _I was a spy and caused grief to so many people, they died because of me!_

 _Will you still love me like this or will it break your heart and I'll have to be alone again?_

He wanted to ask desperately, but he just couldn't handle the thought of hearing disappointment and disgust in Kame's answer. 

“I missed you.” Kame's voice sounded hoarse because of the emotion filing him, and Jin kissed him, gripping his shirt and curling his fingers into the soft fabric, trying to be close, very close and show what he was feeling. 

People often say that time can heal and help but when your purity is gone, and after living in a soft safe cage you're thrown out into a different world full of hate and intrigue, time teaches you to be careful with your words and affection and at some point, you forget how to tell what you honestly feel, because you were compelled to keep your emotions under control to survive. 

“I love you; I love you so much… so much…” Kame was whispering between kisses and Jin pressed closer, desperately kissing him, feeling the pliant body against his hands. 

Jin almost roughly crushed their lips together, silencing him, making all words disappear, his hands wandering under the soft shirt, almost ripping it and exposing more of the tanned skin. Infatuation, passion and even despair, Jin very carefully tried to focus only on one of the feelings storming his heart, happiness. If everything vanished tomorrow and became just a dream and Kame’s eyes, half closed, glossy and full of tenderness now, looked differently at him, Jin couldn’t handle that, he couldn’t survive. He felt weak and only the fingers messing up his ponytail and running through the silky strands, the lips kissing where his pulse was beating and the eyes looking like he meant so much made him stronger. 

If tomorrow this Magic Land was crushed and burned, Jin would have no regrets.   
 


	4. Chapter 4

  
   
The Palace was full of shadows at this late hour and no one noticed the dark figure moving almost noiselessly, slinking through the hallways to appear instantly when his King called for him. Always alerted, but with soft and gentle eyes, always giving a very nice impression, but not a lasting one, because that was his purpose, to be invisible and easily take in all information.

The King’s Reader pushed the door open and entered a very dark room, he saw another man sat before a crystal, with a frown on his face. He didn't like that expression; because it meant the King’s Seer had bad news. 

“He will return.” Takki said calmly, easily reading Tsubasa’s mind. 

“I've told you many times not to do that around me.” Displeasure showed in the Seer's eyes. 

“Words are sometimes just a waste of precious time, my sweet.” Takki smiled gently. 

“But I prefer to talk sometimes, when you read my mind I feel naked.” Takki started laughing and the King’s Seer just sighed heavily; it was useless, they'd had the same conversation a number of times through the years. He became serious, remembering his last vision and asked, “Why are you so sure? He has no reason to return.” 

Takki stood near the window, the palace was located at the highest point on land and they could perfectly see the port and the pirate's ship from here. 

“He will return.”

Tsubasa made an impatient noise. Even if Takki could read minds, Tsubasa couldn't and today, the visions had been so blurry that this blind confidence only made him restless. 

“Sometimes, I wonder if we made a mistake and this boy is just a reader, like you. We must remember that he is a half-blood.” 

“We must remember that the blood of The Red Lion family is flowing in his veins, and I saw his power with my own eyes.” Takki's lips pressed into a thin line. 

“Takki, you just became too attached to this boy and this bargain could destroy you and me both.” 

A bitter smile played on Takki’s lips. A few years ago, when Tsubasa had a vision of Princess Maya’s lost child, the King had ordered them to find him. Takuya had agreed to announce his beloved sister's child as his heir. They were twins and the day the Princess disappeared became the darkest day for The Red Lion family. She was very beautiful and tender, with the most amazing and rare power. She had the ability to give people inner peace. Just by sitting near and touching their hand, she made people show their better side. 

Takki found the boy and understood with horror that he was a half-blood, tortured and torn apart because of the magical power in him. The King immediately lost interest, because in his opinion, half-bloods were useless, but Takki recognized Jin’s power and persuaded the King to keep Jin in the palace, since he had the power of a Reader, he could be Takki’s pupil. 

Takki helped Jin manage his power, taught him how to control it and the pain left him, but slowly, Takki understood that he couldn't be indifferent to his pupil. He resembled his mother so much and was so kind, so defenseless and vulnerable, you could see all his emotions on his face, even without any magical ability. All his thoughts, fears, solitude, Takki could hear them, but he knew that for Jin to be able to survive in the magic world, he had to teach him to be stronger, tougher. 

All kinds of dirty work, seeing the ugly face of wizards and what they could do for power, gathering information, lying, hiding his feelings, Takki sent Jin to do all those things with orders from the King. But Jin suffered, even if he now thought that life had changed him, Takki knew that this was just an illusion, Jin couldn't be neutral and if a ghost from the past could break his fragile facade so easily all of Takki’s efforts were pointless. 

“But I know for sure this pirate must leave Magic Land, and don’t even try to pretend that you don’t understand what I mean.” Tsubasa sounded annoyed. 

Takki had to agree, he had felt himself freeze when he had read the pirate’s mind. The stone, the pirate owned the stone, and Takki would prefer that stone disappeared. The Reader's and the Seer's purpose  was to maintain peace and help the King by sometimes calming him down and giving him advice, based on the knowledge they  had gained thanks to their powers, but by knowing the King's thoughts, you could prevent some reckless decisions and control his temper, and Takki preferred it like that. 

“If Jin isn't back by morning, I will tell the King about his power, because he is dangerous and you are blind if you're still denying it.” Takki tensed, those were the last words he wanted to hear.

“He will kill Jin and you know that.” Tsubasa looked away. 

A few months ago, they had been working in the town and Jin was very hungry, all his thoughts were full of baked pie, but the café was full of people and Takki asked him to be patient and control his thoughts. Suddenly, the woman who worked there had come to their table with a plate of baked pie and Jin started eating happily, but Takki read her thoughts in horror. She had received an order and obeyed it. Jin’s order. Jin did it unintentionally, and had absolutely no idea that he was even capable of that. 

Takki was unable to rest peacefully after finding out about Jin’s power. It was the hardest decision he had made in his life. As a King’s Reader he was supposed to report it, but he couldn’t. No one knew what Jin thought about, what he dreamed about and cried about, he had no ambition or desire to take over the world and Takki doubted he could be a menace to Takuya's power, but even Tsubasa couldn't understand it. The fact was Jin could control minds, and he had The Red Lion’s blood in his veins and Takuya had too many enemies who would be happy to make use of that opportunity.

Takki knew what Jin dreamed about and maybe if Jin would leave on the pirate’s ship, he could be happy, but it was too early. One day, Jin would understand the power he had and Takki wanted to be around to help him make the right decision. 

 

***

 

Under the moonlight, dreams came true and shining memories stained blue made it so simple to whisper loving nonsense and lose yourself in the other, holding each other so close, exchanging fragile promises in mixed breaths, even if you would never fulfill them. Under the pale moon, hair sparkled ethereally, reminding them of black and silver, and hands slid in gentle caresses over pale skin. It was so difficult to believe that everything was real and every minute you were afraid to wake up and understand that it was all just a sweet dream. 

Kame's voice, calm and a little bit hoarse, telling him about lonely nights, about his fears and hopes and his happiness to finally find Jin, sad and funny stories, sometimes hearing Jin's soft laugh. He wanted to share with him every day that they had spent separated, he noticed how quietly Jin listened to it, and caressed Kame’s shoulder. 

"Your hair?" Kame gently tugged a strand behind Jin's ear. 

“It was too long and troublesome." Jin gave him a small smile. 

There were so many questions running through Kame’s head, but instead he said in a low voice, kissing Jin's knuckles and the sensitive skin on his wrist, “Come with me. This is not a luxurious palace, and I know this lifestyle is not the best, but please, come with me.” 

He looked at Jin's eyes, nervously licked his bottom lip, but Jin just kissed him again, trying to make him forget all about words, because if they started talking, Kame would ask questions and Jin didn't want to lie to Kame, never. 

Yet, it was useless to try to delay the inevitable, and lifting himself up on his elbows, Jin simply told him about his powers and his new family. He felt uneasy, but he allowed himself to keep some of the details from Kame. They would have time for that later. 

”You've always believed in magic and it suits you." Kame smiled, his glossy eyes looking so enchanted and intoxicated by Jin's closeness. 

"Yes, it does." Jin looked at the window, the bitter curve of his lips remaining unnoticed. 

“I must leave the port tomorrow morning. Will you come with me?" 

Kame felt embarrassed and shy, maybe for the first time in his life and he didn't want to hide it. Jin was always so honest with him and Kame wanted Jin to know he held an important place in Kame's heart. 

“I will." 

A velvet voice caressed him with warmness and Kame closed his eyes feeling Jin's breath on his neck. 

Jin couldn't sleep, so he held Kame close. He touched the green stone, absentmindedly thinking about his life and dreams. He snuggled closer,  feeling the smooth skin under his palms. Tomorrow, a new life would begin for him, one with Kame. There was nothing tying him to the Magic Land and he doubted anyone would be sad if he just disappeared. 

Jin dressed quickly and left the room after planting a light kiss on the sleeping Kame's lips. 

The wind from the sea right after leaving the warm bed made him shiver, the sun was rising, Jin only needed a few minutes and he would return before the ship left port. 

Suddenly, a wave of heavy feelings hit him, thoughts full of despair and jealousy. Jin looked around searching for the source and saw a girl with hazel eyes, with a few knives hanging from her belt. Her memories were ugly, guilt was eating her alive. Her thoughts were painful and reading her, Jin thought with disgust that she deserved the hell she was living in, tortured by her own demons. She raised her head, and finally noticed him, traces of tears on her beautiful face. Jin could perhaps forgive what she had done to Kame, but she would never forgive herself. 

 

***

 

Looking at the pastel walls and ascetic furniture in the room he lived in, Jin was sure he wouldn't miss a thing. One last glance and he closed the door. A few shirts and his dark pants, he realized with bitterness that nothing else there belonged to him. With fast steps, he prepared to leave, when the thoughts made him stop dead in his tracks. 

 _“You're not even going to say good-bye to me, Jin?"_ Jin turned around and saw his teacher. 

“I’m sorry; I thought it would be better like this." Jin was never good with words, but his thoughts were full of gratitude. They didn't need words to hear each other. 

 _“Jin, look at me with your little eyes. Do you really think it’s time for you to leave?”_  

Takki's voice in the silence of the palace in the morning sounded gentle, but his thoughts and eyes were cold and firm. Jin closed his eyes in concentration, wandering into his teacher's thoughts and memories. He opened his eyes and stared in horror at his teacher who had always helped him, maybe sometimes in a cruel way, but always with good intentions. And now he heard the threat, because Takki knew him best and could hit him where it would hurt the most; putting Kame in jeopardy. 

“Why? I never asked for these powers?! I don’t need them!” 

Desperately, trying to grasp this last chance but already knowing that he had no choice and never had.  
   
You were just an instrument to these people, for intrigue and fulfilling their needs, you were not the owner of your own life and you belonged to this world now. 

 _“There's a reason for everything, Jin. The King will never let you go.”_

“No…no… I don’t want…NO!” 

Jin left the palace, trying not to look back, but his teacher's thoughts were still ringing in his ears. He quickly ran to the port. The ship was still there, preparing to leave and Jin knew Kame was waiting only for him. 

Jin stopped at the wharf, he saw Kame, walking along the deck with impatient steps. The ship was due to sail about ten minutes ago, but Kame wouldn't leave and already, the royal guards were beginning to throw suspicious looks at the armed to the teeth pirate ship not hurrying to depart. 

 _“He has the stone, and we don’t want the King to find out about this stone. I'd let your pirate leave without any problems, but you must stay, Jin. And this is an order. I need you; this Kingdom needs your powers.”_

The wind so softly caressed your face and the sun made your black hair sparkle, shining warmly, but you felt so cold inside, almost frozen. You couldn't keep your promises and maybe you couldn't read his thoughts, but you didn't need your powers to know how he truly felt. He found your eyes in the crowd, he didn't want to believe it at first, when you shook your head and he wanted to run to you and take you away. You were so grateful to his friends, who stopped him and with raised sails the pirate’s ship left. 

 _“I promise you one day I will help you leave, I will help you myself, please, believe me.”_

Jin was alone, not noticing the people who bumped their shoulders against him, who gave him weird looks because of the silent tears falling from his eyes. He didn't care, nothing was important anymore, he was alone again, heartbroken. Kame had looked at him with torment, despair and a silent question in his eyes: How many times will I have to lose you?

 

***

   
   
 _“Black Traders.”  The black flags flying from their masts identified their ships. Their main goal was always profit, and they do not care if their ways and means of obtaining said profit goes against the values of society. They sell goods, unusual magical animals and slaves. For them there are no rules and no borders, they are loyal only to their wallet and forced obedience through brute force. They are the main enemies of all pirates, but it is almost impossible to understand where they come from and who their leader is. Some pirates keep fighting and destroying their black ships, but others prefer to make deals and exchange money, closing their eyes to the “Black Traders” actions and letting them cross the border of magic shield at will.  
   
Peaceful Land can’t stay indifferent and they have been trying to destroy the network and find the pirates within their own ranks who cooperate with traders. “Black Traders” threaten the peace and they can’t be left to do business without pirate attention._  
   
   
***  
   
   
Kame sat in the darkness, the curtain covered the window, not allowing any light to enter. He wasn’t sure what the time was, it could have been evening or maybe morning.   The ember liquid burned Kame’s throat and made him squirm, he wasn’t sure how many glasses he had drunk already and he no longer care. Nothing is important anymore.  
   
A bitter smile appeared on his lips. He naively believed that after all the blows of fate which he had received, nothing could shake him anymore. So stupid. He poured another glass, and noticed that the bottle was empty. He drank so much, but the pain is still there, torturing him, tearing him apart and burning his eyes with angry tears that he tried so hard to suppress.   He gripped his temples, trying to ease the throbbing pain.  
   
Once, he had already lost everything once in his life, but he had found the strength to live, to move on, to believe in something, because he met Jin. Now, he feels crushed and absolutely lost.   Jin decided to stay; that was his decision. Kame had thought , had hoped that it wasn't real; he can’t understand why in the beginning  Jin agreed to go with him when in the end he was really planning to stay, even if he did seem to have  guilt in his eyes.  
   
Kame was such a fool, blind from happiness and deafened by love. The moment he saw Jin, he forget about everything, the feeling of finding Jin, making his dreams come true, the chance to spend night after night together had made him almost lose his mind. Kame was always so practical, but Jin had such power on him. It was even cruel, how easily he could make Kame feel like he was in the seventh heaven from happiness and afterwards plunge him into an abyss of despair. Maybe Jin changed, they had not seen each other for a long time and maybe if Kame was still so much in love, that did not mean that Jin felt the same.  
   
Sometimes memories about a happy time in your life can became brighter and lovelier,  can change that into what you want it to be in  reality and maybe it was just Kame’s lonely heart, maybe it was he who was seeking for love so much. Maybe Jin was absolutely happy without him, living in a Palace with magic everywhere. Why the hell would he change it for wandering  the oceans with Kame in a pirates’ ship, without a thought for the future and his own safety?  
   
The empty bottle smashed against the wall and the scattered pieces fell to the wooden floor. His tired trembling arms covered his red puffy eyes. Kame wanted to just fall asleep and he wasn’t sure he  wanted to ever wake up.      
   
   
***      
   
   
 _Kurogin_ was in an open sea, wandering without any purpose, because the Captain refused to leave his room and it was very difficult to talk with him while he was in this state.  
   
Ueda looked up at the blue sky, the weather was good and should remain like this, he was sure, but he has a very bad premonition, a feeling that disturbed him as he looked at the horizon. _Kurogin_ was a very good target and they must be careful, he understood that Kame was suffering, but it must come to an end. The ship without a Captain is a very easy prey for others.  He forcibly pushed open the door to the Captain's cabin, he was determined to put some sense into Kame's head. Pirates don't have the luxury to be heartbroken, but when he saw his friend’s state he felt sorry for him.  
   
“What do you want?” Kame voice was lifeless.  
   
“We can’t stay here in the same place for too long, it’s dangerous.” Ueda noticed the glass on the floor, and he opened the window allowing fresh air to enter the room.  
   
“ So let’s go somewhere…” Kame shrugged, and tried to stand, but gave up, not trusting his wobbly legs.  
   
“Where?”  Ueda's voice wasn’t strict, but calm, he noticed  Koki and Maru were peering through the doorway, with worried looks.  
   
He knew all the sailors had started to worry about the destiny of this ship and maybe some of them wanted to voice their critical opinion. Taguchi with a smile and a strong fist tried to calm them, but without Kame it was impossible to assure their sailors that everything was under control. The pirates can’t feel safe if they feel the Captain is weak.  
   
“Wherever you want.” Kame's voice was indifferent, his red eyes looked  unfocused, like he was looking somewhere through Ueda.  
   
“I’m not the Captain, I can’t decide.” Ueda sat down, and looked at the maps on the table.  
   
“You will be a better Captain than me.” Kame chuckled and a smile even appeared on the pale lips. “ You know, I’m not a pirate. I’m a doctor.  I didn't ask for this life.” Kame threw everything from the table and with a loud thud pencils, books, maps, everything fell to the floor.  
   
It’s not the first time in Kame's life that he felt crushed, but this time the anger boiled inside, because he can’t understand. Why? Jin promised to leave with him, what did that look mean, what was Jin trying to say? Kame was honest and if Jin didn't love him anymore, what did all this words and kisses mean? Kame sat down again, and lowered his head.  
   
Ueda silently observed Kame's inner fight and then with a sigh he decided that it had gone far enough. He took Kame by his collar and shook him with great force, and hissed between gritted teeth,“  Do you think I ever asked for it or anyone else did either?  We lost everything and this the only way to survive!  That is how we become who we are now! Are you the only one who suffers? ”  
   
Kame eyes were wide open, like he was seeing Ueda for the first time in his life, the anger finally drained from him, and he felt so tired.  
   
“I… I’m sorry.” Ueda let go of Kame’s collar. “ To spend all my life wandering in the sea and fighting, I don’t want it. I can’t, not without …” Kame covered his eyes,  even though he knew that couldn’t suppress the tears.  
   
“Maybe this is not the life we dreamed about, but this is all we have. Tomorrow, we need our Captain back.”  
   
Ueda spoke a little bit gently and softly closed the door.  
   
Kame left his cabin that evening, and stood on the bridge.  He looked up at the dark sky covered with a billion sparkling stars, and he thought about Jin's eyes. The sky seemed to have no end and the warm memories filled his wounded heart.  
   
“Please, be happy. No matter what life you choose, be happy.”  
   
Kame whispered into the night, he still felt this pain and longing and he knew it will always stay with him. The anger and feeling of being betrayed almost left him, maybe Jin had a reason and his eyes had tried to say something important, Kame wants to believe in that. It was too painful for him to accept reality being something different, he wants to cherish the hope, even if it seems silly and useless.  
   
   
***  
   
   
Ueda sixth sense never betrayed him and the next day _Kurogin_ was met by a very well armed ship sailing under the black flag. The Pirates were unprepared, and it seems they were now the ones to be hunted. _Kurogin_ had sent to the bottom not one “Black Trader’s” ship and Kame’s understood very well, that today they will have a very serious and maybe even bloody battle. _Kurogin_ crew had to find a way to get away and stay safe, but the “Black Traders” were armed very well.    
   
After a brief hesitation, Kame decided to attack first and take the fight to the enemy ship. The fight was hot and it became clear that the pirates would lose and Kame gave the order to retreat, but it was too late. They were surrounded. For a second Kame closed his eyes, cursing his own weakness, that he was responsible for the current situation. He  recognized the ugly grin of the Captain of the traders as he laughed at the sight of the fleeing pirates.  
   
The next moment they heard a scream. “Pirates!” Grappling hooks closed tightly around the ship. Kame didn't know these people, their sparkling pink flag claimed that they belonged to the Brotherhood, but the long-haired pirate captain with a sword in his hand was unfamiliar. They had a chance now and Kame raised his saber, feeling the rush adrenaline through his blood that gave him power.  
   
The pirates together were victorious and Kame wanted to thank the Captain of the ship, which was called _Sinfonietta_. They arrived in time and helped in the most crucial moment. When Kame approached the other Captain, he saw how a red patch was seeping through his pink shirt. He was wounded!  He fell to his knees and Kame ordered that he be taken to his cabin.  
   
Kame sutured the wound, which, fortunately, was not very deep. He looked curiously at the man's features, beautiful lips, soft brown hair,  the man looked very handsome. He seemed to have fallen asleep, he was  weak after losing blood. Suddenly the wounded man opened his eyes. Piercing dark eyes looked closely and without breaking their eye contact, Kame felt uncomfortable under this stare. The Captain sat up, wincing at the pain, his face so pale that Kame was frightened again he would lose consciousness, so Kame push his patient down against the bed again.  
   
“You must rest little bit.” Kame said folding his arms, he licked his lips and continued sincerely, “I want to say, thank you. You were in time to help us, or that battle would have ended with the traders victorious.”  
   
“You are welcome and I always wanted to meet you, the famous fearless Captain of such an amazing ship.” The smile appeared on the fine lips, but the eyes of the pirate were cold.  
   
Kame felt a strange uneasiness. Pirates never afforded one another favors without a purpose and he waited, wanting to know exactly what is needed from him.  
   
“ I didn’t plan to be wounded, but thank you for your help. You can call me Yamapi and as you see we are on the same side.”  
Kame settled himself  into the chair, as he realized that they need to speak seriously and hoped that they would leave the exchange of courtesy and get to the point.  
   
Yamapi smiled and took the glass with rum that Kame offered. He saluted him with it, and drank the contents in one go, wiped his lips with the back of his hand and continued  
   
“One good turn deserves another, isn't that what pirates like to say?”  
   
Kame chuckled, he liked this man, but strongly doubted he was a pirate. Kame had spent a lot of time with pirates and he knew how they acted and talked, but this man was different, more polite and even noble and Kame was curious what the deal was that he would  propose.  
   
“So I need your help, you have a very good and well equipped ship and a disciplined crew. I heard a lot about your victories and I thought that we can be perfect partners.” Kame raised his eyebrows, hearing all this praise made him uncomfortable as he tried to  guess the real purpose behind all those flattering words and that sweet smile.  
   
“Black traders”. This is my purpose, I knew their leader, but I can’t stop them alone. The Brotherhood and Johnny refuse to cooperate in this question.” Kame heard the contempt in his words and Yamapi's lips curved in disdain.  
   
“You want me to go against the Brotherhood and help you.” Kame sighed heavily, and pretended that he was deep in thought. “No way in hell. I can fight with “Black traders” whenever I want, but the Brotherhood has stood behind me and my sailors are welcomed wherever they go, but if I will go with you…”  
   
“What? Pointless fights time after time, but you want to step back from hearing about something serious?  Or maybe  you are afraid that Johnny will refuse to give you asylum?” Yamapi said mockingly. “What if I can offer you more, even more than what you have dreamed about?” Yamapi's voice was deep and his words promised a lot, but Kame already knew how empty dreams could be, and in reality the Pirates needed Johnny’s support.  
   
“No.” Kame said it firmly and stood up preparing to leave. “ You can rest here and tomorrow I will pay  you with gold, tell me the price and we will bid farewell to each other.” Kame was near the door, when Yamapi's next words made him stop in his tracks.  
   
“Maybe we can negotiate and find a solution that will satisfy both of us, _Kamenashi_. I thought the career of a doctor will be more attractive for you, than being a pirate for the rest of your life?”  
   
Kame was so shocked that he can’t even hide it.  A wide smile played on the handsome face and Yamapi said softly,  
   
“We can be amigos and help each other. You stole my ship after all. Truthfully, I preferred _Señorita_  over _Kurogin_.”  
   
   
***  
   
   
They were seated around a round table, Yamapi can't stay in  bed anymore. Kame noticed that this man is full of energy and resting in bed is a waste of time for him. Kame hadn't heard his own name for so many years and he had such a strange feeling; he was confused and so damn curious how Yamapi had found out about his past, but soon he understood that his suspicions was pointless.  The main reason was far away from the business of pirates.  
   
Yamapi was a fighter,  one who lived near the border and was ready to give his life for his land. Kame was far from such idealism and patriotism, maybe, if his life had turned out differently, he would have believed in all the high words that Yamapi said so easily and so fiercely, believing them with all his heart, but Kame was different.  
   
The open rum bottle helped them talk openly with each other, and Yamapi's slender fingers ran quickly over the map, while he showed how free “Black Traders” could feel themselves crossing the shield and wandering near Peaceful Land.  
   
“A few years ago, we understand that the one who cooperated with the traders is Akanishi, this Devil was loyal to his name, he exchanged slaves and goods with the traders and let them stay on his land. I was ready to catch him, but he was smarter and left the Island of  Sighs.” Yamapi frowned, regretting his blunder. “ I understood it too late, and when I wanted to chase after him, I find out that someone stole my ship.”  
   
Kame just chuckled hearing this words and said in an amused tone,  
   
“Your ship was very attractive and I couldn't resist.”  
   
Their eyes met, and even if Yamapi was angry they both knew, that the one who could lay a stronger hand onto the prey first is the owner and the Pirates live in obedience to this very simple rule, it was nothing personal.  
   
“I spent years haunting their network to understand how they worked and where the head of this snake can be found.  I found it and I need someone who knows how to fight in open seas and who is brave enough to help me. Johnny’s prefer to hide under their glittering flags and let traders do what they want.”  
   
Kame raised his eyebrows and Yamapi waved his hand as he continued,  
   
“This little spectacle few hours ago, that is all my people can do. I’m not a pirate, I’m a fighter. I don’t how to deal with these people and you have the experience, so together we will destroy them.”  
   
“Together?” Kame already understood that if they followed Yamapi, there would be no way back. They would have broken the Pirate’s Code and the way to Pirate’s Island will be closed for them.  
   
“Why can’t I feel confidence from your words? You have something to lose? Your pirate’s life is so amazing that you want to spend all your life here?” Yamapi's words were harsh, as a fighter he was used to straight talking, without the need to carefully choose his words. “Don’t you want to protect the Land where you grew up?”  
   
Kame started laughing bitterly.    
   
“I have no desire to do anything for that place,” he scoffed. “I’m sure my people have the same opinion and even if I will agree where is the profit for me?”  
   
The sly smile played again on the handsome face, now a little bit flushed because of the rum and Yamapi leaned closer, almost whispering to Kame,  
   
“ You can return.”  
   
Kame froze for a second, and thought about this new perspective. The day when he left his home in handcuffs , he understood that he would never return and now looking into the deep fish eyes he pondered over Yamapi’s words. Can Kame trust him? Yamapi just shrugged, like he understood what bothered Kame and said:  
   
“ I came to you, because among all the pirates you are famous for giving people a choice and being wise and fair. I represent Peaceful land and I have the paper, where I can put the name of people who help me and they will be free.”  
   
Kame understands perfectly, that although they are strangers, but Yamapi is giving enough information to risk his own life. They can help  each other and maybe this will be a turning point in Kame’s life. He shook the strong hand offered,  and confirmed that they had a deal.  
   
Kame had nothing to lose, the familiar thrill and anticipation overflowed in him; maybe Kame wasn’t born to be a pirate, but he enjoyed this feeling, when he stood at the Bridge and his blood boiled because he could smell the fight and the glory. A Pirate’s life had changed him, made him rougher and freer, but he understood that it couldn't last forever.  
   
He looked at the map, and pointed  his finger at the words “Peaceful Land”.  Home, is that the place where he belonged?  
   
   
***  
   
   
The _Kurogin_ crew was happy to see their Captain full of energy and determination again. Kame told them about their new destination and goal and gave a choice to his sailors, because he thought it was fair to tell them all about the risks and what will await them in the end, if they will succeed.  
   
The wide grins and cheering was a happy response to his speech. The pirates do not like it when their weapons sit for a long time without actions. These desperate people would rush headfirst towards new adventures, absolutely not thinking about the consequences. Kame only sighed, seeing the rapid enthusiasm and the way their weapons glinted, showed how clean and sharp they were.  His sailors started preparing without waiting to hear what would await them if they failed.  
   
Kame and Yamapi spent nights reading over maps arguing over a better route, but in the end, they choose the one Nakamaru prepared.  
   
Kame wasn’t a dreamer and he understood very clearly what would wait for him and all risks that entailed. At the same time it was clear, that totally destroying “Black Traders” was impossible, but without their leader, they will be disoriented for a while and more importantly, they won't be able to come near the Magical shield’s border anytime soon.  
   
Kame hadn’t allowed himself to dream about a return to his land, he had already buried all hope of ever again in this life being able to see his family. And even now, when everything is almost ready, weapons prepared, pirates  silent in anticipation, and the plan and the strategy discussed a thousand times, Kame did not like to give himself empty hopes. Only when he will feel solid ground under his feet and breathe the air of his home town, only then will he be able to relax.  
   
The plan was simple, but Yamapi was too nervous and restless, he asked a lot of questions and checked everything again.  
   
“What if they will cheat and play dirty?” Yamapi asked worriedly, looking with his anxious dark eyes.  
   
“They always cheat and play dirty,” answered Kame calmly, as he cleaned his medical instruments, he would need them after everything would be over.  
   
“But what if..?” started Yamapi again, but Kame interrupted him harshly:  
   
“Wasn’t this your idea? Why chicken out in the last minute? If I can’t rely on you, I’m out of this shit.” Kame looked with heavy eyes, his voice cold and serious. Yamapi frowned at such an outburst, but relaxed a little bit.  
   
Kame understood Yamapi's state, but now was not the time for  doubts. Tomorrow... Kame was calm, a pirate's life had taught him to be ready, because no one can be sure what surprises tomorrow would bring...  
   
   
***  
   
   
The sky was clear above, while below there was the soft blue colors and calm waves of cerulean sea. Kame was standing at the bridge of _Kurogin_ and in a loud voice he ordered, "Full speed ahead!"  
   
The wind was billowing in the white sails and the red brilliant flag glittered in the sun, Kame felt how the wind struck his face. They wanted to attack in the early morning light and catch the enemy off guard. Kame grit his teeth when he saw the "Black Traders" ship. The enemy was ready for  attack.  
   
If you are an experienced pirate, you can easily change your plan according to the circumstances and Kame's strong voice gave the next order.  
   
"Fire!"  
   
Simultaneous salvos from earlier prepared cannons broke the silence. Black smoke rose into the blue sky and the smell of burning gunpowder hit their noses. The battle started and there was no way to turn back anymore.  
   
When the ship was close enough, Kame gave the next order and grappling hooks firmly cupped the side of the enemy ship, allowing the pirates to jump on board. The most powerful ship and it's leader with a dark beard and golden earring, he was standing there with his saber aloft- that was Kame’s main goal.  
   
Everything went according to the plan, it was just happening too fast and the pirates can feel the victory, fighting with superiority and celebrating. It was just too perfect to be true, thought Kame, looking around with a bad feeling in his chest.  
   
He noticed another ship, approaching at full speed, he wondered why Yamapi hadn’t raised his flag, but then finally he understood in what position he was with his pirates. He gave a last order.  
   
“Cut the ropes! It’s a trap!”  
   
It was too late. _Kurogin_ was stuck in the middle, the new ship with a raised black flag ran tight along the side of the pirate’s ship with grappling hooks and their last chance for escape disappeared.  
   
Kame was fighting and defending his life, he brandished his saber fiercely, and tried desperately to find a way out of this situation. He saw the Leader of the Traders, whom Taguchi held at bay not giving any possible move. On the horizon appeared the _Sinfonietta_. He quickly assessed the situation and made a decision, he may regret it afterwards but there was no other way. There must always be a back-up plan, no matter how reckless and crazy it was.  
   
Kame found Koki in a crowd of fighting people and gave the order with a special sign. Only one word, which made his friend’s face pale, but with a nod Koki humbly left the deck.  
   
Pirates knew who they were and what they were, their lives were never a game, and each battle could be the last one, but their desire to survive made them stronger and more reckless.  
   
“Retreat!”  yelled Kame , as he tried to win them time.    
   
The pirates retreated to a free deck of a trader’s ship, their enemy thought that the pirates had given up and surrounded them on that same deck. Yamapi was very close and Kame could see the frown at his face, and he prayed that he would not deviate from the plan.  
   
"Overboard!" ordered Kame, when he finally saw Koki was there on the deck along with the rest of his crew.  
   
The pirates jumped overboard as quickly as they could, jumping onto the _Sinfonnieta_ , while the traders desperately tried to stop them.  
   
Kame waited for his people to leave the ship, his hand tired and numb from the weight of his saber.  He only saw him at the last moment,  the man with the knife. Kame waited for the pain, but felt only the weight of a limp body slumping against him. Meisa had saved him. He held her close, pressing his hands hard against her wound and left the ship last.  Once on   _Sinfonietta_ he  carefully passed Meisa over to his crew, and ordered them to take her to the infirmary as soon as possible.  
   
The Traders tried to halt them, as they thought the _Sinfonietta_ was also bound, but they managed to cut the ropes quickly enough and sail away from the battle.  
   
They were 150 meters away when  Kame turned to Yamapi and said, “Order to open the fire!”  
   
“What for? We lost!” said Yamapi in frustration.  
   
 _Kurogin's_ hold is full of the gunpowder, just give the order!” Kame's face was dirty, the stains of blood covered his face and clothes, his glittering coat was torn apart on one side and his brown hair was disheveled.  
   
“Fire!” yelled Yamapi.  
   
One last simultaneous salvo was launched and the three ships still tightly interconnected by the grappling hooks was launched out of the water by the impact and the explosion.  The acrid smell of gunpowder flooded around them and the explosion echoed through the no longer blue cloudless sky as the black clouds of smoke curled into the air.  
   
“We win! I can’t believe it! We win!” Yamapi exclaimed with a smile, still not fully believing in his luck. “ I knew it! I was sure! Kame, we win!” Yamapi finally was able to take his eyes away from the wreckage of the ship and looked at Kame, with the intention of celebrating their victory.  
   
The pictures that he saw made the smile disappear from his face. Kame slowly dropped to his knees and Yamapi saw the way his face was distorted with torment and grief, and how through the soot and blood that stained his face, he saw the traces of falling tears. Yamapi saw a pirate, who had just lost his ship, that for so many years had been part of him, his loyal companion and home; he saw a man, who cried because of the pirates, his dear friends who had died today. Kame closed his eyes, and tightly pressed the  trembling corners of his lips together.  He had just bid last farewell to his life again, this time the one that he had lead for years and  was now buried at the bottom of the sea along with the debris of _Kurogin_.  
   
When a few minutes later Kame stood, his face was clear and his eyes dry.  
   
   
***  
   
   
She slowly opened her eyes, she still felt weak and a nagging pain deep in her side. Meisa turned her head slightly and met brown eyes that looked expectedly and calmly at her.  
   
“How are you feeling?” Kame was seated on a chair near her bed.  
   
“ Why did you save me again?” Her chin started trembling. A frown appeared on Kame's face, but he stayed silent.  
   
“ I didn’t deserve it! I must die today!” She sobbed, the tears fell down her pale cheeks, Kame sighed and stood up.  
   
“Stop talking nonsense, just rest and you will feel better soon.  Your wound is a serious one.” He paused and added little bit more softly, “You saved my life today, thank you.”  
   
He was about to leave the room, when Meisa said, almost screaming,“I sold you! Do you here me?! They gave me good money and I needed it, because of my father.  I heard about every word they said in that court room! I stole your life, your dreams, I took everything from you! You must hate me!” Her eyes shone from the tears, she said every word harshly, trying to remind him about the pain and despair he had felt, like she wanted to see hate in his eyes.  
   
“Your father?” Kame face was as pale as she was, but his voice was calm and distant.  
   
“The blood money they gave me only gave me another two months with him.  He died two months after,” Meisa said bitterly her head bowed down.  
   
“Two months…” repeated Kame.  
   
“Haven’t you ever thought, what if we didn’t meet that day, what if you hadn't come to that room and saved me?”  
   
 _What if?_ Sometimes we all ask ourselves, repeating again and again, thinking what if… But is there any sense in these questions that have no answers and never would have? Why torture your suffering heart thinking about the possibilities and poison your soul? What for? Would it change anything? Kame doubted it.  
   
Kame preferred to accept reality no matter how painful and bitter it was and live, because life is so unpredictable and it can alter and give you presents that would change everything.  
   
He looked at her beautiful face, now covered in tears, and saw the heavy burden of many years of guilt at her resting on her fragile shoulders, so heavy that it made her life unbearable and made her wish for  death.  
   
“I don’t hate you.”  Kame said, and touched the green stone that felt so warm against his chest. “You are my friend, sometimes rude, sometimes reckless, skillful and brave, you are important to me.”  
   
She froze and looked at him with wide open eyes that were so young and vulnerable. Kame closed the door behind him, but he could still hear her soft sobs. He knew, finally she felt free.  
   
Kame walked to the upper deck of _Sinfonietta_ looking at the sky. A gigantic rainbow arched above his head sparkling with so many colors, it glistened as it was full of magic and the stone at his neck burned warmly against his skin. Kame could finally admit that he believed in magic now, because in his life he has experienced a real miracle, one that was still flowing in his veins with bittersweet memories.  
   
   
***  
   
   
“You've got to be kidding” Koki couldn't suppress his irritated whine, when he set foot once more on the Island of  Sighs. “You think I suffered so much for this?!” He exclaimed in indignation, and pointed at picturesque view of the sea and the hill with a single white house on it, the only building that had survived after the fire.  
   
“You are free and you were allowed to cross the borders!” Yamapi grumpily answered, still feeling embarrassed, as he had forgotten to read the last part of the damned papers that the bureaucrats had given him, the part that outlined exactly what the pirates would receive and where they can stay.  
   
“Ah, so many memories!” Taguchi's wide smile and dreaming voice gave everyone else the desire to punch him, but Maru stopped Koki by placing a hand on his shoulder.  
   
“So Akanishi’s land…” Ueda chuckled, amused.  
   
They had returned to the Island of Sighs, as free men, not as criminals or slavers or pirates, but now they were called honorary volunteers, ones who will build a new life here on the abandoned island.  This place had become almost wild and overgrown and they needed strong hands, and hearts.  They needed a strong man who could govern. The man who could deal with criminals and pirates and have a strong authority between these sorts of people was the best candidate.  
   
Kame became the governor of the Island of Sighs and Peaceful Land’s government gave him the authority to do what was needed to establish the Island of Sighs as a proper colony. Under the further supervision and control of Yamapi of course, because the Island of Sighs is the last border land near the Magical shield.  
   
How could Kame decline this proposition? He entered the white house, a smile played on his face, when he found an old album with drawings and his own face with a smile looked back up at him.  
   
After half a year the Island of Sighs had grown and was almost unrecognizable. The new buildings, the little hospital near the white house, the port with new ships. They haven’t time to rest as they were dealing with runaway criminals, but slowly Kame’s life became one that was more peaceful and calm. He often looked at the cerulean see and thought about those other days, but when he fell asleep in his warm bed in Jin’s room he was glad that he had finally found a home.  
   
   
***  
   
   
Kame woke up early, the sun wasn’t risen yet, but he was feeling restless and couldn't  sleep anymore. The warm stone at his chest was radiating a strong, steady and calming feeling, but he thought that maybe after breathing in the fresh air from the sea he could fall asleep again.  
   
He had dreamt again, about Jin. They were together at the little beach. Jin was looking at the sea and Kame saw his long black shining hair, and then he called Jin by his name. The latter turned and looked at Kame with a smile. This smile was so beautiful and warm, that just remembering it now Kame felt lonely and miserable.  
   
He walked near the sea, his bare feet gently sinking into the sand. The sun was rising and the soft wind caressed his face nicely, but after his warm bed it was chilly. He looked at the sun rising and the colors that painted sky an almost ethereally beautiful shade. The brief thought crossed his mind, that maybe this is a dream too and he was still sleeping.  He saw the tall figure and the long black shining hair. Kame smiled bitterly, he must still be dreaming, but the sand under his feet seems so real.  
   
“Jin!”  
   
Kame called for him like he always did in his dreams and Jin turned his head and looked back at Kame, but this time his face was serious and Kame frowned and thought that this dream was not so good, as he preferred it when Jin smiled at him. Now he must wake up, but instead Jin was coming closer with his serious expression and finally Kame understood that this was not a dream.  
   
“You are here.”  Kame said and his own voice sounded so strange to him.  
   
“I’m here.” Jin smiled hesitantly.  
   
“How?” Kame asked thinking about Yamapi, who was charged with protecting the borders and can’t have let Jin cross the shield unnoticed.  
   
“Magic.” Jin looked embarrassed, thinking that the last few months he may have slightly overused his power of controlling minds to make his dream of getting here come true, he remember  the border guard who was his last victim and who seemed to be a nice guy and the thirty other fighters, who were there too.  
   
 _“Give a peace to this Land and you will be free to leave! The green stone must stay where it is and never cross  borders again! ”_ said his teacher, who cared only about the prosperity of the Kingdom of The Red Lion. Jin had fulfilled his mission and now the King wanted nothing but peace in his land, he now always relied on his Reader’s wise opinion and only vaguely remembered about someone called “Jin”. The magical crystal in Tsubasa hands showed the way to Jin, the road back to the only place where he wanted to be, near Kame.    
   
Kame was silent and Jin started feeling nervous. This wasn't what he had thought would happen while he waited, he thought that Kame will just hug and kiss him, tell him  how he missed him, (actually he had hoped it would be like this) but Kame's silence wasn’t helping at all.  
   
“I’m sorry,” Jin said finally. “I broke my promise.” He looked crushed and guilty.  
   
Kame can almost feel his nervousness, the graceful fingers that messed his long shining hair in an anxious gesture, the storm of emotions in his warm eyes, that expression of desperation.  
   
Maybe Kame always could understand Jin without words, maybe he always had believed, feeling the silent promise that clung to hope in those dark eyes, the way that Jin had looked so lonely and broken at the wharf of Magic Land?  
   
“You could still keep your other promise,” said Kame softly.  
   
“That I will love you and we will find where we belong?” Jin's eyes were glossy and warm, his velvet voice caressed and warmed Kame, and made him feel like he sinking. Kame nodded, and drowned in the soft radiance of his beloved's eyes.  
   
“And where do we belong?” His voice sounded hoarse, over-full with emotions and feeling, but his heart felt so light, almost airy.  
   
Jin stepped forward, now stood very close, he answered honestly:  
   
“I don’t know, but can I stay with you?” Jin asked shyly, like he was asking for forgiveness and still not sure whether Kame will take him back.  
   
Kame held him close, embraced his broad shoulders and kissed him softly. He felt how Jin's long fingers hesitantly touch first his waist, but then Jin was hugging him close, so he can hear the fast rhythm of his beloved's heartbeat and his longing and yearning in an almost now painful kiss.  
   
Your life wasn’t a sweet and easy one, you met many obstacles and were living on the edge, fighting for your life and surviving. You were searching desperately around the world, trying to find a place, one that you can call home, the place where you will finally feel happy, the place where you belong…  
   
Now looking back over the years of wandering you have no regrets, because now you are exactly where you belong.  It is not the house or island, a ship or a town, this is a strong heart under your palm, the understanding without words, the soft lips feeling your pulse and the warm arms clutching you close, that give you a feeling of home…  
   
In the morning light, waking up in the safety of his arms you will tell him your name, feeling shy, because it’s so strange to hear it again. He will smile, just like in your dreams and whisper in your hair _“Kazu”_.  
You are home with your family, and finally you are together in the place where you belong…  
   
 


End file.
